Washington Township police officers on Saturday surprised a local resident by offering to fix her damaged Chevrolet SUV in time for Christmas.

A Warren County mother's green Chevrolet SUV was hard to miss as it traveled along local roads in Washington Township.

Police officers throughout the past month had noticed the driver's side rear door was damaged, causing it to pop out and needing a rope to keep it shut. Still, a gap of a few inches allowed rain and cold air to seep through. A rear tire also was going bald.

Washington Township police Lt. James Teter said officers had wanted to stop the vehicle's owner, who he declined to identify, on several occasions, but had been busy with other calls at the time.

"We would see it on and off duty," Teter said. "Officers just hadn't been able to be free to pull it over."

Making spirits bright

In recent weeks, officers banded together and decided to do something about the vehicle. The mission was to surprise the vehicle's owner and fix it in time for the holidays.

Officers were able to track the vehicle information and find the owner's home. On Saturday morning, they showed up at her doorstep with the surprising good news.

Her and her family's reaction were priceless, Teter described. 

"We see so many people during bad times in their lives and it was wonderful to see pure spirit and happiness," Teter said.

He said it was either fixing the vehicle or having to remove it from the road because it was too unsafe to drive -- and officers didn't want the latter approach.

"We wanted to take this problem off her shoulders," Teter said. "It was the right thing to do."

Police never really learned why the vehicle's owner never had the funds to repair the vehicle, but did know it was costly, ranging upward of $2,000 to fully repair. The woman has three elementary-aged children to care for, police say.

The department was able to gain a donation from Port Murray Auto Salvage in Mansfield Township for a replacement passenger door. STS Car Service Center in Washington donated a new rear tire. And Stew's Auto Body in Washington worked to install the new equipment.

As mechanic Todd Unangst worked on Saturday, the vehicle owner's children toured the municipal building with officers. Officers then gave the owner a $100 gift card they bought with their own money for Christmas presents for the three young children.

Police posted photographs of the effort on the department's Facebook page and the community was quick to give their actions the thumbs up with 1,850 "liking" the post and 275 people sharing it by Tuesday morning. Hundreds posted comments.

"Proud of my brothers in blue!," posted Bill Slack.

"Amen and we need to see more of the good! Thank you officers for helping this mom out!! Merry Christmas!," posted Meloney Garrett.

"Great job Washington police bringing back the true Christmas spirit," posted Kerri Mosher Caldaro.

Connecting with a community

Connecting with residents is an important part of the jobs of police officers, Teter said.

"We want people to know that our commitment to our community is strong and it's about keeping connected with everyone that we serve and helping out when and where we can," he said.

In past years, officers have stepped up and bought lunch for war veterans, repaired garages for the elderly and helped Shop Rite customers loading groceries into their trunks. An officer more recently responded to a flood in a property owner's basement, helped in getting the water turned off in the street and then pitched in with mopping up all the water, Teter said.

And those are just a few examples, Teter said, noting, "I could go on and on."

He added the officers get just as much out of their altruism as those on the receiving end.

"Our profession is not all about cops and robbers, its about being part of the community and giving back when we can," he said. "We all have a stake here."

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

The position was created to replace the police chief, but was never filled.

Greenwich Township police may soon officially answer to a chief again.

By year's end, the township committee is expected to vote on a measure that would abolish the police director position -- a civilian job created about six months ago ahead of the firing of Chief Richard Hummer.

The director position was never filled amid a series of unrelated resignations by a majority of the committee. New board members were appointed, most of whom say they want to see a chief-led department.

But some dissension is likely when the ordinance rescinding the director post comes up for public discussion and a final vote Dec. 30, if prior votes are any indication.

"I just think it's too early to make a decision on it," said Committeeman Frank Marchetta, who was appointed to the committee last month. He has abstained from votes on the matter, and said Tuesday that he will do so again next week.

Mayor Jim Adams, a proponent of the police director job from its inception, has voted against rescinding it, and said the township can just as easily keep the position unfilled without undoing the ordinance.

"I think the new committee members shouldn't rush to judgement here," Adams said. "It doesn't look like they have a plan."

The other three committeemen -- Bob Barsony, Bill Kanyuck and Will Spencer -- have said they support returning to a chief. In contrast to a director, a chief is a uniformed officer who can perform regular police duties like patrolling and making arrests.

"We need more officers out on the street than in the office," Kanyuck said.

Fired Greenwich Township police Chief Richard Hummer "would be more than willing to return to the job," his attorney says. (lehighvalleylive.com file photo) 

When it was introduced, the director post was described by Greenwich Township leaders as one that could bring leadership to the department and help in other municipal administrative functions, specifically as a part-time business administrator.

The director position was created by ordinance July 2, and Chief Hummer was fired July 14. The department has been led in the meantime by Deputy Chief Jerry Skelton.

At least nine applications for the director job were received, but the hiring process was disrupted in September with the resignations in short succession of Committeemen John Callari, Joe Tauriello and Angelo Faillace. Deputy Mayor Elaine Emiliani stepped down in October.

Township officials have not said if they would ask Hummer, now a Washington Township officer, to return as chief.

Hummer was fired following a series of disciplinary hearings. A township-commissioned investigation at the time said his leadership was lacking, while a recently released report by the Warren County Prosecutor's Office praised his effectiveness.

Hummer is seeking reinstatement through a legal appeal.

"The chief wants to be exonerated on all the false charges," said his attorney, Lawrence Y. Bitterman, "but given that, he would be more than willing to return to the job that he loves."

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

After the mayor-elect's salary was slashed $30,000, a proposal seeks to restore much of the cut.

One of the last actions in the Harry Wyant Jr. era of Phillipsburg's government may be to give the mayor's successor a raise, in a sense.

Phillipsburg Mayor Harry Wyant Jr., left, is to make $70,783 in 2015. An ordinance approved Dec. 1 sets the 2016 salary for Mayor-elect Stephen "Rogie" Ellis, center, at $40,000. However, Council Vice President Todd Tersigni, right, has introduced an amendment in which Ellis would make $65,000. (lehighvalleylive.com file photos)

A special council meeting planned for Dec. 29 will address a proposal to set the mayor's 2016 salary at $65,000, restoring much of a pay cut for the position approved this month.

The original ordinance -- which set a number of non-union municipal salaries -- set Mayor-elect Stephen "Rogie" Ellis' 2016 salary at $40,000, much less than the nearly $71,000 Wyant is being paid for 2015.

Council Vice President Todd Tersigni -- who approved the original 2016 salary ordinance in a unanimous vote Dec. 1 -- introduced the amending measure at council's last regularly scheduled meeting Dec. 15.

"I believe it will be passed unanimously," he said Tuesday.

Other councilmen, Wyant and Ellis did not return calls for comment.

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 next month.

Councilmen have said their intention with the salary cut was to reset the position's pay to a base level. Wyant was paid about $40,000 in his first term as mayor in 2000.

As a regional superintendent with the state park service, Ellis will make $110,979 this year, according to a state database. Ellis has said he is retiring from the park service after 35 years, and that even with a $40,000 salary as mayor his pension would keep his family financially stable.

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

 

With lots of warm air still in place in late December, record highs could be broken in many towns and cities in New Jersey, New York and eastern Pennsylvania.

The warm December air keeps on flowing in to New Jersey and other eastern states, putting lots of temperature records on the verge of being broken -- not only on Christmas Eve, but also on Wednesday.

Among the records being watched by the National Weather Service on Wednesday are those for the daily highs on Dec. 23 in Atlantic City (65 degrees), Trenton (70 degrees) and Philadelphia (66 degrees).

The weather service sees a greater likelihood of broken records on Thursday, expected to be the warmest day of the week, with highs reaching the low 70s -- about 30 degrees above the normal high for late December. 

Among the record highs that have a good shot at being broken on Christmas Eve are Atlantic City's record of 65 (set in 1982), Newark's record of 64 (set in 1990), New York City's record of 63 (set in 1996), Trenton's record of 63 (set in 1990 and 2014) and Philadelphia's record of 64 (set in 1990 and 2014).

PLUS: Christmas traffic, transit, travel and weather outlook

If the temperatures soar into the mid- or upper 70s on Thursday, many towns and cities across the Northeast will not only break their record highs for Dec. 24 but their all-time highs for any December day.  

The warmest temperatures ever recorded in December was 77 in Atlantic City, 76 in Newark, 76 in Trenton and 73 in Philadelphia, according to the National Weather Service. Of all those cities, Philly has the best shot at breaking its December record.

Record warmth potential Wednesday, December 23rd and likely on Thursday, December 24th. The graphic has the details. pic.twitter.com/kCDfuCpkJQ

-- NWS Mount Holly (@NWS_MountHolly) December 22, 2015

WARMEST DECEMBER ON RECORD?

Last week, New Jersey State Climatologist David Robinson at Rutgers University said the Garden State was on track to possibly having its warmest December on record. He is now saying this: "It will absolutely, positively be a record for the month."

Robinson's projection is based on the continued wave of warm air flowing in from the west and the south, keeping average temperatures far above normal.

The normal average temperature (the mean between the average high and the average low) in December in New Jersey is 35.6 degrees. 

The warmest on record was in 2006, when the Garden State averaged 42.2 degrees, followed by 2001, when the state averaged 41.7 degrees. 

One interesting indicator of how warm it has been: The weather station at the Atlantic City Marina did not hit the freezing mark of 32 degrees once this entire fall season, Robinson said.

And in Newark, the temperature fell below the freezing mark four nights in late November but not once in December, Robinson said.

"Every day this month has been above normal in Newark," he added. 

DENSE FOG ADVISORY

The dense fog that has been hovering over much of New Jersey this morning will be sticking around for most of the day, prompting the National Weather Service to issue a dense fog advisory through 6 p.m. Wednesday.

The advisory affects these counties: Atlantic, Burlington, Cape May, Cumberland, Hunterdon, Monmouth, Middlesex, Morris, Ocean, Salem, Somerset, Sussex and Warren.

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

 

 

New Jersey State Police in Washington say weather conditions played a role in a Wednesday morning single-vehicle crash in Franklin Township, Warren County.

A teenager escaped serious injury when the vehicle she was driving left the road and flipped along Coleman Hill Road in Franklin Township, Warren County, New Jersey State Police say.

The teen, who police didn't identify, lost control of the Honda Accord at 8:23 a.m. Wednesday. The car came to rest after rolling over at Coleman Hill and Bickel roads. Police did say the teen was from the Franklin Township, Warren County area.

She was treated at the scene by Washington Rescue Squad.

Police say weather conditions played a role in the crash, noting the area was foggy at the time of the accident.

Also responding to the scene were state police, Washington Township police and the Franklin Township Fire Department. New Jersey State Police in Washington are handling the investigation.

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

Five men were arrested Dec. 15 after refusing to leave the QuickChek in Washington Township, police say.

Five men have been cited after causing a nuisance outside a Washington Township, Warren County convenience store and refusing to leave, police say.

File Photo| LehighValleyLive.com 

Washington Township police responded to the QuickChek, 350 Route 57 W., just after 8 p.m. Dec. 15. Officers were dispatched for the group being disorderly and not leaving the property.

Police arrested Taquana Cleaves, 33; Tyler Balog, 18; George Bush, 20; and Philip Hazen, 19, all of Washington and Austin Walley, 20, of Hackettstown. They were cited for not obeying an ordinance about not causing a nuisance.

Hazen, Bush, Walley and Balog were processed and released with a mandatory court dates.

Cleaves, however, had a $200 outstanding warrant out of Washington Township. He was processed and released with a mandatory court date after posting bail.

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

The Middlesex County woman has no connection to Sts. Philip and James School, the diocese says.

A Middlesex County woman is accused of stealing $3,000 in grocery store gift cards from a Catholic school in Phillipsburg.

Morgan Lang, 32, of Carteret, New Jersey, stole the Stop & Shop cards Dec. 7 from Sts. Philip and James School, according to charges filed in state Superior Court in Belvidere.

It was not clear how Lang allegedly stole the cards, or what connection she has with the school, if any. She was not employed or volunteering there, according to the Diocese of Metuchen. Phillipsburg police and the Warren County Prosecutor's Office did not return calls for comment Wednesday.

Lang is charged with theft and forging a check. Her bail was set at $5,000, with a 10 percent option.

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

 

The Tigers' bonus points proved too much for the County Seaters.

Hackettstown 48, Belvidere 21 – Rapid Recap

Tiger head coach Frank Rodgers won his 200th career match as a head coach in an entertaining if occasionally sloppy affair between two old rivals in front of a loud and large crowd at Hackettstown. The Tigers (1-0) posted four straight pins to open a match that started at 138 pounds for an early 24-0 lead and make sure their coach reached his landmark.

Rodgers was recognized beforehand with a plaque and a banner and was swarmed by alumni, friends and community members afterwards, many eating celebratory cake.

“The best part of the 25 years I have spent here (19 as head coach) is that I got to coach the kids of the Hackettstown community,” Rodgers said. “There are a lot of good people in this community.”

Turning point: Belvidere (0-2) was mounting a rally and was in a tight, winnable match at 285 before Tigers’ sophomore Joe Andes ended any Seater comeback hopes by posting a pin of Craig Cronce in 5 minutes and 34 seconds that put the match away.

Top Belvidere performer: County Seater senior Josh Pershpalaj stopped the bleeding after four straight Tiger pins with a fall of his own at 170, starting on bottom in the third period, nailing the reversal and sticking Kyle Salazar just 18 seconds into the period. “I was hoping to get a pin so I could everybody up so they could wrestle their best for us,” Pershpalaj said. 

Top Hackettstown performer: In a battle of high-level wrestlers, Hackettstown’s returning Region 1 champion Joe Renne edged Belvidere’s returning District 1 champ Nick Cassidy 3-2 at 132. Renne took Cassidy down in the first period, got reversed for a 2-all tie, rode Cassidy out in the second period and then worked for a hard-fought escape with 1:18 left for the 3-2 win. “It was a tough match,” Renne said. “I get forfeited to sometimes. I always look forward to good matches like this.”

What it means: Rodgers can start working on his next 200 wins. Hackettstown is well-launched on what could be a very successful team season with a balanced lineup full of physically powerful wrestlers. Belvidere is a young and green team, but showed heart and competitiveness at most weights, and improvement will come with experience.

Brad Wilson may be reached at bwilson@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @bradwsports. Find Lehigh Valley high school sports on Facebook.

His first-period fall launched the Tigers to head coach Frank Rodgers' 200th career win.

Brandon Baker had the honor of leading off in his wrestling head coach’s 200th dual-match win.

And the Hackettstown senior 138-pounder delivered in style.

Baker pinned Belvidere’s James Galicki in 1 minute and 25 seconds to launch the Tigers to a 48-21 thumping of visiting Belvidere on a special night in the Hackettstown gym for Frank Rodgers and the entire Tiger wrestling community.

“It’s a really great feeling,” Baker said. “Not every wrestler gets to start off the 200th win for their coach.”

A large and enthusiastic crowd gathered to honor Rodgers for 25 years of service to the Hackettstown program (19 as head coach). A banner hung behind the Tiger bench, Rodgers was awarded a plaque beforehand, and fans could even by Frank Rodgers souvenir bottled water at the concession stand.

Of course the fans hoped for his 200th win to occur as well.

Hoping turned into reality when Baker and his buddies – Anthony Carida (145), Anthony Gonzalez (152) and Robert Spezza – opened up the match with four dominating falls, all but Gonzalez’s in the first period.

It was almost as if Baker and the wrestlers that followed had planned it that way. Turned out they had.

“We did talk about starting the match off with pins right off the bat,” Baker said. “We knew we had a chance to do that. We knew this could be the 200th win and we wanted to do anything we could to accomplish that.”

The opening quartet did precisely that. Hackettstown (1-0) led 24-0 after four bouts and won by 27 points. Belvidere (0-2) fought hard and pulled off some nice wins, but essentially Rodgers’ milestone was in the bag after the first four bouts.

Just where Baker and his buddies knew it would be.

Brad Wilson may be reached at bwilson@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @bradwsports. Find Lehigh Valley high school sports on Facebook.

The senior returning state qualifier edged Belvidere's Matt Cassidy 3-2 in the Tigers' 48-21 triumph.

Hackettstown and Belvidere didn’t play dodgeball Wednesday night during their wrestling match.

And that rebounded to the benefit of Tiger senior Joe Renne and Belvidere junior Nick Cassidy at 132 pounds.

The two wrestlers are perhaps the top athlete on each team. Cassidy won a District 1 title last year while Renne was a D-1 runner-up, a Region 1 champion and came within one win of a state medal last season.

Too often in such situations, the match doesn’t come off. But Tiger coach Frank Rodgers, his 200th career win already in hand, and County Seater Dan McIntyre eschewed the dodgeball and let their standouts wrestle.

The result was an early-season highlight as Renne edged Cassidy 3-2 in a tense, tight bout that served as an end-of-match treat for the large and enthusiastic crowd.

“It was a tough match,” Renne said. “I get forfeited to sometimes. I always look forward to good matches like this. I don’t get too many matches like that at this point of the season.”

Such matches will help Renne reach his goal come March.

“Everyone’s goal is to be a state champion and that’s mine too,” Renne said. “But really I’d just love to get on the podium (top eight medal at states). Last year I came so close. I’d love to get a medal this year.”

Tough test like the one Cassidy – who looks much stronger and secure as junior – provided provide Renne with a necessary measuring stick.

Renne took down Cassidy in the first period and seemed to be in control until the County Seater hit a reversal to tie the match at 2, which is how the first period ended.

Renne rode out Cassidy with a rugged and technically secure ride in the second period, and then escaped with 1:18 left in the bout for the 3-2 score. Cassidy pushed for a takedown but could not penetrate Renne’s defense, and Renne couldn’t quite reel Cassidy in when he had the chance.

“I spent the whole second period trying to turn him,” Renne said. “I knew I could get out from under him in the third period, but I couldn’t take him down again. It was good to get out of there with a win.”

Hackettstown, meanwhile, might be winning a lot of dual meets this season even with its killer schedule.

“We’re a very solid team,” Renne said. “We have a lot of good wrestlers. Alex Carida (120) is undefeated and has been really wrestling well. We have a lot of strong kids like Anthony Gonzalez (145) and Robert Spezza (160). I think we’re going to get a lot better.”

Especially if coaches stop playing dodgeball with their better wrestlers and Joe Renne.

Brad Wilson may be reached at bwilson@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @bradwsports. Find Lehigh Valley high school sports on Facebook.

James Britt scored 18 points and the Tigers overcame a 10-point halftime deficit.

James Britt scored 18 points Wednesday night and Hackettstown overcame a 10-point halftime deficit to post a 52-45 win over Montgomery.

The Tigers trailed 23-13 at halftime but used a 25-7 third quarter uprising to gain control.

Matt Arcona and Jelani Awai each scored nine points for Hackettstown.

Matt Remsen led Montgomery with 14 points.

All you need to know.

It was a big night on the mats in Hackettstown Wednesday.

Tiger head coach Frank Rodgers won his 200th career match with a 48-21 defeat of visiting Belvidere in front of a large crowd at the Hackettstown gym.

Rodgers was honored for 25 years of service to the school beforehand, and his team opened the match with four straight falls to assure the occasion would be festive for the Tigers (1-0).

Belvidere (0-2) battled back in the match but couldn’t overcome Hackettstown’s head start.

Follow the links below for full coverage for the match.

Hackettstown wrestlers top Belvidere for Frank Rodgers' 200th win – Rapid Recap 

Hackettstown's Brandon Baker starts historic wrestling night off the right way

Joe Renne gets a good test in Hackettsttown wrestling win

Belvidere's Josh Pershpalaj sees improvement every day on wrestling mat

Brad Wilson may be reached at bwilson@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @bradwsports. Find Lehigh Valley high school sports on Facebook.

Tradition is what makes the yuletide season "The Most Wonderful Time of the Year," a song, FYI, written by Edward Pola and George Wyle in 1963 and released that year by Andy Williams.

According to information available from Billboard Magazine, there have been a total of 446 Christmas-themed songs that have cracked the top 100 on the Billboard charts since 1955.

Courtesy of Distejon 

I'm in no way ashamed to admit that my personal favorite has always been "Snoopy's Christmas" by the Royal Guardsmen, first released in 1967 as a follow-up to their hit "Snoopy vs. the Red Baron" the previous year. The problem is, I rarely - if ever -- hear it on the radio stations that play non-stop Christmas music from Halloween clear through New Year's Day.

Thankfully, I can drag out an old 45-rpm record player, drop the record on the turntable and listen to it. Playing that song is a Christmas tradition that I enjoy year after year.

MORE: Vintage photos around New Jersey

In my opinion, it's tradition that makes this "The Most Wonderful Time of the Year" (FYI: that song was written by Edward Pola and George Wyle in 1963 and was released that year by Andy Williams).

I'll leave you with what I must say was the most memorable Christmas, for me, of all time.

Courtesy of NASA 

It didn't involve the music, the presents or the decorations or even the annual homemade ravioli. It was 1968; we had attended midnight Mass, which I served as an altar boy, and returned home just in time to turn on the television for reports on the Apollo 8 astronauts, the first human beings to travel to orbit another celestial body. And we heard the three men (three wise men? Who'd traveled from afar? I'd say the symbolism was far too much for me to grasp at the time) read from the Book of Genesis.

At the time, it was the most-watched telecast in the history of television. And after they finished reading, Frank Borman, Jim Lovell and William Anders finished with "and from the crew of Apollo 8, we close with good night, good luck, a Merry Christmas - and God bless all of you, all of you on the good Earth."

I still get chills thinking about it. And I and writers all over the world could sit at a keyboard for decades and not come up with a better wish for Christmases past, present and future than that.

Here's a gallery of vintage photos of people celebrating Christmas in New Jersey. Be sure you've clicked on the caption button to read more about these classic photos.

Still in the holiday spirit? Here's a link to last year's gallery.

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

Storm could bring heavy snow to New England and some snow, sleet or freezing rain to parts of northern and central New Jersey, forecasters say.

We definitely have no shot of a white Christmas here in New Jersey, but we may end up seeing snow sometime soon.

Some long-range weather models are showing a winter storm could track into the Northeast late Monday into early Tuesday, possibly dumping heavy snow in New England and bringing a wintry mix to parts of New Jersey and northern Pennsylvania.

"The overall progression of this storm will be a wintry mix at the onset with sufficiently cold air, followed by a transition to rain as temperatures warm," meteorologist Rob Reale wrote in a storm post for WeatherWorks, a private weather forecasting company based in Hackettstown. "How long places remain wintry will determine how big of a storm this may be, and with the coldest air to the north, the further north you go... the greater the threat."

The National Weather Service's seven-day forecast is showing a 60 percent chance of rain, sleet and snow in Sussex, Warren, Morris, Somerset and Middlesex counties on Monday night, followed by freezing rain and snow Tuesday morning and rain later in the day. 

The forecast is also showing a possible mixture of rain and sleet Monday night and Tuesday morning in other parts of the Garden State, including Burlington, Gloucester, Mercer and Monmouth counties. 

Winter officially arrived three days ago, amid a wave of record-breaking warmth that's expected to continue into this weekend. The warmest day will be Thursday, with dozens of daily temperature records being broken as highs soar into the low 70s -- about 30 degrees above normal for late December.

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

 

Former Phillipsburg Councilman David DeGerolamo was appointed to the board in 2006.

After nearly a decade on the board, the chairman of the Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission has stepped down.

David DeGerolamo is sworn in as Phillipsburg coucil president in 2010. He has stepped down from his post as the Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission chairman after serving on the board since 2006. (lehighvalleylive.com file photo)

David DeGerolamo, of Phillipsburg, made the announcement Monday at the conclusion of a commission meeting, according to spokesman Joe Donnelly.

The chairman described the move -- effective immediately -- as retirement, Donnelly said.

DeGerolamo was a Phillipsburg councilman when he was appointed to the bi-state commission in January 2006 by then-Gov. Richard Codey. He was first selected as chairman the end of that year.

The toll bridge commission operates 20 spans, including 7 toll bridges, connecting New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Its governing board is comprised of five commissioners from each state, appointed by their respective governors.

In February, legislators called for greater oversight of the commission after DeGeroloamo's employer, Hackettstown-based Intercounty Paving Associates LLC, was awarded a $6.32 million contract for construction work on the Portland-Columbia Toll Bridge.

The chairman at the time said he recused himself from all votes and discussions.

DeGerolamo and other local commissioners did not return calls for comment about his resignation.

Gov. Chris Christie's office on Thursday confirmed receipt of DeGerolamo's resignation.

A Christie spokesman said an announcement would be made when a nomination is submitted to the state Senate for approval. The uncompensated commissioner position carries a three-year term. The board will eventually select a new chairman from within.

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

The driver was treated at the scene by the Greenwich Township Rescue Squad.

A single-vehicle crash about 4:50 Christmas morning took out a utility pole on Route 519 in Harmony Township.

The driver of the Hyundai Elantra was treated by the Greenwich Township Rescue Squad but it wasn't immediately clear if she was taken to a hospital.

The crash happened after the car left the right side of Route 519 just north of Harmony Station Road. The utility pole was sheared at its base and phone wires for a time hung low over the road, limiting travel to one lane. Emergency crews were able to eliminate the hazard.

MORE: Services scheduled Wednesday for couple killed in crash

New Jersey State Police at Washington are investigating.

Harmony Township's fire department also responded to assist.

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 Lehigh Valley's blood collection service says it's unsure whether to expect more donations from the FDA change, but gay rights advocates say it's just more discrimination.

Gay rights activists nationally and in the Lehigh Valley are blasting a federal rule change aimed at permitting more gay and bisexual men to give blood.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Monday announced the change for what it classifies as men who have sex with men. Instead of a lifetime ban on donating blood, the policy in place for about 30 years, these men will be barred from giving blood for 12 months after their last sexual contact with another man.

The Lehigh Valley region's blood collection service says it's unsure whether to expect more donations resulting from the change, but gay rights advocates say it's just more discrimination.

"To call that progress is pretty offensive to gay Americans and to gay Pennsylvanians who don't see ourselves as walking billboards of disease, and that's what this FDA policy sort of presumes when they advocate a one-year ban on sexual activity even within the context of a married couple," said Adrian Shanker, executive director of the Allentown-based Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center, formerly the Pennsylvania Diversity Network.

Shanker recommends instead screening potential donors on risk factors such as safe-sex practices, calling the standard of sexual abstinence "an unrealistic expectation particularly when there's a shortage in the blood supply."

He's not alone.

"It continues to stigmatize gay and bisexual men," David Stacy, of the Human Rights Campaign, the largest U.S. gay rights group, told The Associated Press. "It simply cannot be justified in light of current scientific research and updated blood screening technology."

Monday's policy shift was first proposed in late 2014 and follows years of lobbying by medical groups and gay rights groups, who said the previous ban was outdated and perpetuated negative stereotypes, according to the AP.

"The FDA's responsibility is to maintain a high level of blood product safety for people whose lives depend on it," FDA Acting Commissioner Stephen Ostroff said in a statement. "We have taken great care to ensure this policy revision is backed by sound science and continues to protect our blood supply."

The new 12-month deferral mirrors policies in the United Kingdom and Australia, the FDA says. 

The change comes as blood screening based on the best-available science, paired with donor education, has helped reduce the transmission rates of HIV from blood transfusion from 1 in 2,500 to 1 in 1.47 million, according to the FDA.

The FDA considered eliminating all donor restrictions based on HIV risk and relying on HIV testing alone, but concluded that would increase the transmission of HIV through the blood supply by 400 percent, according to the AP.

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HIV, or human immunodeficiency virus, causes AIDS, a disease that weakens the immune system, gradually destroying the body's ability to fight infections and certain cancers. It is spread through infected blood or blood products, in addition to sexual contact; contaminated needles or syringes shared by drug abusers; and from infected women to their babies at birth or through breast-feeding.

"The amount of testing that goes into every unit of blood, we're going to catch that," said Sean Tinney, spokesman for the Miller-Keystone Blood Center, based in Hanover Township, Northampton County. "The blood supply is as safe as ever."

Miller-Keystone, a nonprofit, is the exclusive blood supplier to 26 hospitals in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, including St. Luke's University Health Network, Lehigh Valley Health Network, Sacred Heart Hospital, Easton Hospital, Hackettstown Regional Medical Center and Hunterdon Medical Center.

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Monday's FDA announcement coincided with the start of what is traditionally one of the worst times of the year for blood donations, Tinney said. Miller-Keystone relies on blood drives for about 60 percent of its donations, with the balance coming from donations at one of its six donor sites, Tinney said. 

Maintaining an adequate blood supply for its hospitals requires between 400 and 450 donors a day, he said.

"We know that over the next couple of weeks we do not have many blood drives on the books," he said Tuesday. "We're really trying to encourage people to come in especially right before and after the holidays. It's critical."

Whether the policy change on gay and bisexual men will help boost the ranks of donors remains unclear, Tinney said.

"Honestly we're not too sure yet what to expect," Tinney said. "The move is definitely something that's been fought for a while, not just from the gay community but from the blood bank industry as a whole because it frees up more potential donors, it makes more donors eligible."

The FDA says it will continue to re-evaluate its blood donor deferral policies as new scientific information becomes available.

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

 

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

Warren County authorities seek Naeem Dixon - fugitive of the week

Northampton County authorities seek Esmeralda Walker - fugitive of the week

Hunterdon County authorities seek Martina Pamplin - fugitive of the week

 

Dogs, cats, goats. You name it, we probably captured images this year of your favorite animal. Take a look.

Everyone loves a cute photo of a furry friend, right?

Photographers Sue Beyer and Matt Smith went through the 2015 archive to find some of lehighvalleylive.com's best animal photos of the year.

Scroll through the gallery atop this post for a look.

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

There were no reported injuries Sunday morning when an SUV ignited and erupted into flames along I-78 eastbound in Greenwich Township, New Jersey State Police say.

New Jersey State Police have reopened all lanes along I-78 eastbound after an SUV erupted into flames near exit 3.

An SUV erupted into flames just after 9 a.m. Sunday along I-78 eastbound in Greenwich Township. New Jersey State Police say two occupants evacuated safely and were not injured. (Dave Dabour | For lehighvalleylive.com)

Police say the two occupants inside the vehicle were not injured and evacuated safely.

The fire broke out just after 9 a.m. Sunday with a witness at the scene saying the SUV began smoking and then became fully engulfed in flames. The witness said the vehicle's license plates were out of state.

Stewartsville Fire Co. firefighters quickly extinguished the flames and brought the fire under control. State police temporarily closed down all lanes along I-78 near exit 3 as crews worked to clear debris.

By 10 a.m., the scene was being cleared and all lanes were reopened, according to state police.

Also responding to the scene was Greenwich Township Emergency Medical Services. New Jersey State Police continue to investigate.

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