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Complete video replay of the 2018 State Wrestling Championship finals

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Full-broadcast video of the championship round, with reporters taking questions and offering analysis

The action is over at Boardwalk Hall, but that doesn't mean you have to stop watching wrestling.  A complete video replay is available above.

Welcome to the LIVE VIDEO & chat page for the Championship Finals, scheduled for Sunday at 3 p.m.

Along with the live broadcast, NJ Advance Media wrestling reporters will be hanging out in the comments section below, taking your questions and offering plenty of color commentary.

The live chat is in the comments section below.


Boys Basketball: Semifinal upsets, title-game victories shake up the S.J. Top 20

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Upsets, title victories shake up SJ Top 20 in boys basketball

Have you seen this missing Woodbury teen?

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The 14-year-old was last seen Monday

Woodbury police are asking for the public's help in locating a teen last seen Monday.

Roshied Robinson, 14, left his house following an argument with his mother, authorities said.

He is described as 5-feet 7-inches tall, with a medium build and short, black hair. He was last seen wearing blue pajamas, a white T-shirt and black flip-flops.

He is known to frequent Paulsboro, police said.

Anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to contact Woodbury Detective Alex Phillips at 856-845-0065 ext. 130 or county dispatch at 856-845-0064.

Matt Gray may be reached at mgray@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MattGraySJT. Find the South Jersey Times on FacebookHave a tip? Tell us: nj.com/tips.

Camden County school closings, delayed openings Thursday (March 8, 2018)

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Camden County school districts announced closings and delayed openings after Wednesday's storm.

As another storm rolled in and dumped inches of snow throughout the state on Wednesday, Camden County school districts announced closings and delayed openings for Thursday.

The following schools are closed or have delayed openings for Thursday, March 8:

DELAYED OPENINGS:

  • Haddon Heights School District - 2 hours late
  • Merchantville School District - 2 hours late
  • Pennsauken Public Schools - 2 hours late
  • Sterling High School - delayed opening 8:45 a.m.
  • Stratford Borough - 2 hours late

CLOSINGS:

  • No announcements yet.

Sara Jerde may be reached at sjerde@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @SaraJerde.

Have information about this story or something else we should be covering? Tell us: nj.com/tips

Vintage photos of things you may have forgotten about

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"Children will always be blissfully unaware of the lives their parents or grandparents lived before them."

On a typical day in the 1970s, a guy like me might put on my Earth Shoes and drive an El Camino to school, opening the vent window on the way.

I may have listened to a teacher discuss the Jonathan Livingston Seagull novel and then climbed a rack of thick wooden dowels in gym class. Members of the A/V club might have wheeled a projector into a classroom for a film presentation.

After school, I might work on a term paper on an electric typewriter, keeping a bottle of Wite-Out correction fluid ready to employ.

I might listen to music on a boom box, or decide what to watch on TV after consulting TV guide. Naturally, I would change the channel by turning the knob on the set and I would hope the picture was decent after adjusting the vertical hold.

a65ada6bb37146db2a52eac35ef7ab22.jpgYou know what this was used for, right? 

As much as this might sound like someone speaking a foreign language to millennials, all of this was part of daily life not terribly long ago.

Many of the items in this gallery were technical wonders of their day ... and seem almost funny today. An article on vox.com notes that "It's easy to argue that generations of people no longer exist in neat baby-boomer time periods. Instead of years, we should label generations by the dominant technology they use. Children will always be blissfully unaware of the lives their parents or grandparents lived before them."

MORE: Vintage photos around New Jersey

Which is why collections like this one are both entertaining ... and educational.

Here's a gallery of things you may have forgotten about, or put a great deal of effort into intentionally forgetting about. And here are links to some other galleries you might enjoy.

Vintage photos of things that have changed - for better or worse

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

Vintage photos of New Jerseyans engaged in 'dicey' activities

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

NAACP says AG must investigate cop punching man in the head

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Three officers have been placed on paid leave, the county said. Watch video

Two local chapters of the NAACP are calling for New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir Grewal to take over the investigation of an arrest in which a Camden police officer was caught on video repeatedly punching a man in the head.

Edward Minguela, 32, a father of three, was walking on Collings Road Feb. 22 when he was stopped by police who'd  received a call about a man with a gun.

An officer took him to the ground and punched him 12 times in the head while two other officers held Minguela down, according to surveillance video Minguela obtained from Fairview Liquors store.

The Camden County Prosecutor's Office is investigating, and the Camden County Police Department has placed the three officers on paid leave, calling the video "extremely disturbing."

But Lloyd D. Henderson, head of the Camden County East branch of the NAACP, said it "just doesn't look right" for the county law enforcement officials to be investigating the police department they work so closely with.

"As you may know, the Camden County Prosecutor's Office depends upon the Camden County Police to prosecute most of the cases in the county," Henderson wrote in a letter to the attorney general. "They need the cooperation of the police and a good working relationship."

Henderson said the request came from his branch as well as the Camden County chapter of the NAACP.

It echoed a call from Minguela's attorney, Devon Jacob of Pennsylvania, for the attorney general or the FBI to investigate.

At a press conference Monday, he said that the prosecutor's office is investigating Minguela's claim that he was unlawfully charged with resisting arrest and obstruction and beaten, and at the same time, prosecuting him on those charges.

The attorney general's office would not discuss possibly getting involved. An office spokeswoman said only that the local prosecutor's office was investigating.

Minguela said that he was surprised when police came up behind him, drew their guns and told him to put his hands up Feb. 22. He said he complied but was tackled and punched, and then was taken to the hospital.

He said that at the hospital, an officer told him that if he asked for medical care, they would charge him with assaulting a police officer, but if he declined care, they would let him off with two municipal citations. He opted for the latter, he said, but went back to the hospital later and learned he had a concussion and a fractured wrist.

Jacob has demanded the officer who threw the punches to be fired and that the prosecutor's office to drop the charges, but neither has happened. Minguela's hearing on his charges has been postponed twice, something his attorney said was so a non-local judge could hear them to avoid a conflict of interest.

Dan Keashen, a spokesman for the police department, said the incident is isolated and "is not who we are as a police department and does not represent our training, standards or culture at the agency."

But in an email to reporters this week, the Camden County branch of the NAACP took exception to Keashen's categorizing the incident as isolated. The organization pointed to resolved and ongoing excessive force suits in which residents claim they were beaten by officers.

The ongoing suits include one from Xavier Ingram, who was 21 when he was paralyzed during officers' attempt to arrest him for allegedly possessing a handgun in 2014. Police maintain he injured himself when he fell while fleeing, but he claims in his suit that his neck broke when an officer stepped on his neck.

In 2017, the county paid an undisclosed sum to settle a civil rights suit from Quinzelle Bethea, according to the Courier-Post. Douglas Dickerson, the officer caught on camera beating Bethea, was fired and convicted of assault.

According to the Asbury Park Press, the county paid $375,000 to settle an excessive force suit by Dana Robinson, who suffered a broken hip and other broken bones during his arrest for disturbing the peace while fishing in Camden in July 2013.

Rebecca Everett may be reached at reverett@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @rebeccajeverett. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips

 

Boys basketball: Previews, predictions for all the Group semifinals

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Everything you need to know heading into the Group semifinals.

2 N.J. hospital chains will explore a merger

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If Virtua and Lourdes hospitals join forces, they would continue a decade-long pattern of mergers and acquisitions, in New Jersey and across the country.

Two south Jersey hospital chains announced Thursday they are exploring a merger, a deal that would make them one of the most formidable health care networks in the outer-Philadelphia region.

Virtua Health, which owns three hospitals in Burlington County, would acquire the two hospitals in the Lourdes Health System in Camden and Burlington, according to an announcement Virtua released on behalf of both systems.

The news comes three months after Cooper Health backed out of a deal to buy the Lourdes hopsitals, as well as St. Francis Medical Center in Trenton. All three are owned by Maxis, a division of Trinity Health which operates 93 hospitals in 22 states. Cooper filed a lawsuit in December to regain the $15 million it placed in escrow when the two were exploring the deal. 

Here's why massive N.J. hospital deal turned out DOA

"Maxis Health System, an entity of Trinity Health, and Virtua Health have entered into a non-binding Letter of Intent regarding the possible acquisition by Virtua of The Lourdes Health System, including Our Lady of Lourdes Medical Center in Camden and Lourdes Medical Center of Burlington County," according to a statement Virtua spokeswoman Peggy Leone released Thursday.

"The parties hope that they will be able to complete this transaction, which has the potential to achieve great benefits for healthcare in South Jersey. Further review is underway; there is no final agreement."

Our Lady of Lourdes Medical Center in Camden is renowned for its heart care and its treatment programs of the elderly. Virtua's hospitals dominate obstetrics care in the region, delivering 8,000 babies a year.

If they agree to join forces, they would continue a decade-long pattern of mergers and acquisitions, in New Jersey and across the country, driven in part by the Affordable Care Act's emphasis on hospitals and doctors curbing long hospital stays.

Mergers also give cover to smaller hospitals, shoring up their negotiating power with insurance companies, and giving them access to money to make building and other capital improvements.

Susan K. Livio may be reached at slivio@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @SusanKLivio. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.


Judge denies request of man charged in 2 sisters' death to remain free

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Mark Lyczak, 45, killed Colleen Brownell and Alysia McCloskey at McCloskey's home on Dec. 30, prosecutors say.

MarkLyczak,accusedofkillingstep-sisters,incourtinCamden,Jan.JPGStep-sisters Colleen Brownell, 48, left, and Alysia McCloskey, 41, were killed Saturday by Mark Lyczak, 44, according to the Camden County Prosecutor.(Facebook) 

The man accused of stabbing three women late last year in Collingswood will remained jailed throughout his court proceedings, a judge in Camden ruled Friday.

Mark Lyczak, 45, of Burlington City, had his detention hearing on charges that he stabbed his ex-fiance Alysia McCloskey, her stepsister Colleen Brownell and his girlfriend at McCloskey's house on Dec. 30 last year.

McCloskey and Brownell died from their wounds while the third woman survived.

About two dozen friends, family and neighbors, including some who called 911 after hearing the incident, packed the courtroom on Friday, some wearing photos of the victims on lanyards around their necks.

Assistant Camden County Prosecutor Peter Gallagher argued that Lyczak should continue to be held because of the length of time he faces in prison: as much as two consecutive life terms for the two murders and as much as 20 years for the third stabbing.

Lyczak allegedly stabbed the victims in violation of a restraining order that McCloskey had against him, Gallagher said.

Public defender Meg Butler said Lyczak could be released to the care of relatives and would not fail to appear. He denies all charges, she said.

But McBride said the weight of the evidence and severity of the charges were factors in his decision to keep Lyczak in jail as court proceedings continue.

It was not immediately clear when Lyczak would next appear in court.

Joe Brandt can be reached at jbrandt@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JBrandt_NJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips

Teaching math and learning the sound of gunfire: America, 2018

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Can you tell the difference between gunshots and fireworks? Do they sound far away, or are they close? That's what a NJ police department wanted to be sure teachers could do. Watch video

Can you tell the difference between gunshots and fireworks? Do they sound far away, or are they close, such as just outside a closed door? 

And how quickly can you identify the shots fired? Would you know before the gun was in the same room as you? 

That's what the Voorhees Township police department wanted to be sure teachers and faculty at Eastern Regional High School could do if a shooter were to infiltrate the campus. 

"This is a very difficult topic to talk about," Captain Carmen Del Palazzo said, addressing several hundred people gathered in the school's gym Friday afternoon. "Most people want to avoid it like the plague. But it's a necessary discussion that has to take place." 

While the training comes less than a month after 17 people were killed in a high school in Parkland, Fla., it was actually planned in October. More recently, the Florida tragedy has spurred national debates about the rise of mass shootings, and about what security measures may be necessary in schools. 

In the past month, dozens of threats or concerning messages have been posted to social media or made verbally at schools across the state. Communities across the country have seen similar instances, and some have resulted in charges and arrests of students in middle and high schools. 

One of those was at Eastern Regional before the Parkland shooting even took place. An 18-year-old student allegedly threatened to "shoot up" the school in early February and was later arrested for making terroristic threats and causing false public alarm. No weapons were found in his residence. 

But the training isn't just about being in a school. Palazzo told the staff present he hopes they incorporate what they've learned not just to protect their classrooms, but to be informed in public spaces as well. 

"Take it when you leave, whether you're alone or with your loved ones at the movie theater, at the concert, at the supermarket, at the mall," he said.  

In addition to the emergency procedures teachers learn from administrators, Del Palazzo emphasized situational awareness and having a ready mindset as key parts of minimizing the impact of an active shooter. 

During the presentation, sudden shots sounded in the hall outside of the gym, as officers fired blanks from a handgun. A smokey smell sifted in through the gym doors. 

"The whole purpose of it is, 'I know what that is, I know what I need to do," Charles Seixas, an officer with the Camden County Sheriff's Office told the crowd. "'I know what steps, and what order they need to be done to not only save myself, but to save the kids.'" 

But the second time, the gunfire was louder, as an officer burst into the gym with a rifle and fired blanks before the crowd. Some jumped or gasped at the sound, which was noticeably different from the first round fired. 

Del Palazzo emphasized that teachers need to be aware of the real possibilty of a shooter scenario at the high school, and that thinking it couldn't happen in their own workplace was a dangerous mentality. 

"Denial is a powerful thing," he said. "It can kill us." 

And while no one has a solution to the rise in mass shootings and threats, being informed can diminish the impact. 

"It's sad to say, but an event like this happens, we're not going to save everyone," Seixas said. "There's going to be casualties, but we can cut down casualties." 

Amanda Hoover can be reached at ahoover@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @amandahoovernj. Find NJ.com on Facebook

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Can a friend's tragic death help pass domestic violence law?

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Mark Lyczak allegedly stabbed his ex-fiance and her stepsister in violation of a restraining order. Could an ankle monitor have stopped him? Watch video

Eileen McCay is hoping change will come from tragedy.

Her close friend Colleen Brownell and Brownell's stepsister, Alysia McCloskey, deserve it, she says.

The two were at McCloskey's home in Collingswood on Dec. 30 when they were stabbed to death, prosecutors say.

Brownell's ex-fiance Mark Lyczak, 45, of Burlington City, is charged with their murders and the attempted murder of a third woman. He has been in the Camden County Jail ever since.

Brownell moved in with McCloskey, a county away from her ex, as she made plans to move to Florida. She had gotten a restraining order against Lyczak about five months before the incident and he'd been involved in a previous domestic incident at the home, prosecutors say.

MarkLyczak,accusedofkillingstep-sisters,incourtinCamden,Jan.JPGStep-sisters Colleen Brownell, 48, left, and Alysia McCloskey, 41. 

"She did everything she could to keep him away, and it wasn't enough," McCay told a reporter after Lyczak's detention hearing in Camden on Friday.

Now, McCay is hoping that Brownell's story will bring attention and finally lead to the passing of a long-discussed domestic violence law that she says could have prevented their killings.

Lisa's Law, named after Letizia "Lisa" Zindell of Toms River, would require domestic violence offenders who violate a restraining order to submit to electronic monitoring that could alert authorities if they were headed toward violating their restraining order again.

Zindell was beaten and strangled to death on Aug. 13, 2009 by her ex-fiance Frank Frisco, just one day after he was released from jail for violating a restraining order Zindell had filed against him.

He regularly violated the restraining order prior to that, according to previous reports.

The bill would establish a four-year pilot program monitoring domestic violence offenders first in Ocean County, and the state Attorney General would evaluate the program each year in reports to the Governor and the Legislature. Those reports could also recommend whether the program should be expanded to other counties.

The bill was initially sponsored by Assembly Democrats Troy Singleton, Daniel R. Benson, Thomas P. Giblin and Gabriela Mosquera. But former Gov. Chris Christie vetoed the bill twice during his tenure. 

Singleton, now a state senator, told McCay that he would re-introduce the bill now that Gov. Phil Murphy is in office. The bill was approved by the Judiciary Committee and will go before the Appropriations Committee and then the General Assembly, according to the senator's website.

"My hope is that we waste no more time and have this placed on the agenda ASAP," McCay wrote in a letter to senators who sponsored the bill. "I am fully convinced if this law was passed a couple of years ago, both of the victims would be alive today."

At the detention hearing, which would determine whether Lyczak could remain free before a trial or plea, public defender Meg Butler said that Lyczak denies all charges. She advocated for him to be released to the care of his relatives, who live in South Jersey.

But Assistant Camden County Prosecutor Peter Gallagher told the court that with the length of time Lyczak could face in prison -- as much as two life terms for two counts of murder and 20 additional years for the attempted murder -- the court should ensure that he cannot flee the jurisdiction.

"He is facing about as much time in prison as a criminal defendant can face," Gallagher said. He later added that the third woman nearly did not survive her injuries.

Judge Edward McBride ruled that Lyczak will remain in jail during his court proceedings due to the severity of the charges and the weight of the evidence -- police and neighbors witnessed him wielding a knife at the home in Collingswood.

The restraining order also came up during the proceedings.

"He disregarded two provisions in that order in his quest to end the life of several people. Two of which he achieved, and the third of which he nearly achieved," Gallagher said.

- Reporter Rebecca Everett contributed to this story.

Joe Brandt can be reached at jbrandt@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JBrandt_NJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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Boys basketball Championship Weekend: Previews, picks for every state final

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Everything you need to know heading into the state finals.

Boys basketball Championships: Hot takes & full report for Saturday's finals

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Everything you need for the state finals

Woman who left town with infant faces kidnapping charge

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The woman was supposed to be babysitting the child, authorities said.

 

A Camden woman has been jailed after allegedly kidnapping the young child she was supposed to be babysitting.

Nadajia Hill 3.jpgNadajia Hill 

Camden County police said Nadajia Hill, 22, had assumed care of a 4-month-old boy Friday night from the child's mother, but when the mom went to pick up her son Saturday morning he was missing.

Investigators found Hill had allegedly taken the boy to Newark from Camden using public transportation.

She was on her way back south around 12:30 p.m. Saturday on a New Jersey Transit RiverLine train with the toddler when it stopped at the Riverside station and officers found them.

Police said the baby was in good health and was returned to his family.

Authorities charged Hill with kidnapping and child endangerment and sent her to the Camden County Jail to await a court hearing, officials said.

Camden County police were aided in their investigation by the Camden County Prosecutor's Office, New Jersey State Police, New Jersey Transit Police and Newark Police.

Bill Gallo Jr. may be reached at bgallo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow Bill Gallo Jr. on Twitter @bgallojr. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips

Boys basketball: Full results & links from 2018 Championship Weekend

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Complete guide to 2018 Championship Weekend

The action is over at the RAC, and Championship Weekend is in the books with six new champs.

We've done something new with our coverage this year.  Look out for our "Hot takes & full breakdowns" post that has collected photos, videos, impact players and our reporters' hottest takes on each game all in one place. Some final pieces are going in there, so keep refreshing.

Meantime, the Tournament of Champions bracket is set, and basketball gets back in action Tuesday.

KEY LINKS
Tournament of Champions seeds, bracket
Previews for every Group final
Statewide Top 20
South Jersey Top 20
Sectional and Group brackets
Statement wins upsets & surprises for the postseason


NEW:  Hot takes & full report on every championship game


SUNDAY'S GAMES
Rutgers Athletic Center

Group 1 Final
Woodbury 60, Cresskill 58 
• Clutch from line, Estrada leads Woodbury's comeback for title
Hot takes & full breakdown (Stars of the game & more)
•  Photo gallery
•  WATCH: Woodbury celebrates 1st-ever Group 1 title
Box score

Look back at live updates 
Full coverage

Group 3 Final
No. 17 Nottingham 60, Chatham 53
Hot takes & full breakdown (stars of the game & more)
• Senior trio brings Nottingham 1st state title
•  Photo gallery
•  WATCH: Nottingham celebrates first-ever G3 title
Box score
Look back at live updates 

Full coverage 


RELATED: Tournament of Champions seeds & bracket


Group 2 Final
Haddonfield 62, Newark Central 45
• Haddonfield pushes adversity aside en route to title
Hot takes & full breakdown (MVP & more)
•  WATCH: Haddonfield celebrates Group 2 championship
•  Photo gallery
Box score 
Look back at live updates 

Full coverage

Group 4 Final
No. 12 Shawnee 56, No. 8 Newark East Side 53 
Shawnee wins title on Deveney's late basket
Hot takes & full breakdown (MVP and more)
•  Photo gallery
•  WATCH: Shawnee celebrates Group 4 championship
Box score 
Look back at live updates 

Full coverage


AFTER TOC: The NJ.com Final 50 - top teams of the 2017-18 season


SATURDAY'S GAMES
RWJ Barnabas Arena, Toms River North

Non-Public B Final
No. 1 Roselle Catholic 63, No. 3 Ranney 61
Reid rallies No. 1 Roselle Catholic in championship thriller
Hot takes & full breakdown (Reid's game-winning alley-oop & more)
•  WATCH: Naz Reid's game-winning block & alley-oop
• Ranney's Lewis locked in, plays "Max Strong" (video)
•  Photo gallery
• 
 WATCH: Alanzo Frink drops 2-handed slam for RC
•  WATCH: Bryan Antoine throws down monster jam for Ranney
Box score

Look back at live updates & stunning finish 
Full coverage

Non-Public A Final
No. 4 Don Bosco 61, No. 18 Camden Catholic 54
• Don Bosco repeats as N-P A champ
Hot takes & full breakdown (Stars of the game, lots more)
• Like father, like son? Rutgers can only hope with Ron Harper Jr. | Politi
•   Photo gallery 
•  WATCH: Don Bosco celebrates 2nd straight title
Box score 
Look back at live updates

Full coverage

STATE TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE/SCOREBOARD
NON-PUBLIC FINALS NON-PUBLIC A NON-PUBLIC B SUNDAY, MARCH 11 PUBLIC GROUP FINALS GROUP 4 GROUP 3 GROUP 2 GROUP 1


Here are the 30 N.J. towns with the lowest property taxes

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The average homeowner in all of these towns is paying well below the state average of $8,690.

N.J. pets in need: March 12, 2018

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Dogs and cats throughout New Jersey await adoption.

Apparently, Punxsutawney Phil nailed it this year.

Until it starts warming up, BluePearl Veterinary Partners has some tips for protecting pets during freezing weather.

--The most common-sense tip is - don't leave a pet in the cold for too long. Bring pets inside if you start to see redness in their tails or ears or they start to shiver. Once inside, help them clear any ice between their toes.

--Find a de-icer that is pet-friendly if you use one on your driveway and sidewalks. Various toxins and even salt can cause problems for pets, as they have a tendency to lick the substances off their paws.

--Winter can make it hard for pets to find their way back home because ice and snow mask familiar scents and paths. Make sure dogs and cats that are allowed to roam have identification tags and, if possible, are microchipped.

--Dogs can't say "My arthritis is acting up in this cold." If a pet struggles when getting up and moving around the house, a trip to the vet might be in order. Also, make sure there is soft and warm bedding available in cold weather.

--A sweater or coat for short-haired dogs is a wise investment. Rather than being decorative, items like these are highly functional in cold weather.

 Until the temperatures rise to springtime levels, it's a good idea to make sure your pets are as comfortable in cold weather as they can be.

History of NJSIAA boys basketball Tournament of Champions

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Take a walk down memory lane and check out every Tournament of Champions winner.

Meet 8 N.J. teen activists leading the Parkland walkouts, trying to make change

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The student-led activism in the wake of the Florida high school massacre is inspiring students across the Garden State to in their schools and outside of it to demand the change they want to see.

AG must fork over $1.3M to former detective who filed whistleblower suit

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He claims he was retaliated against after he reported a colleague was harassing female employees.

The New Jersey Attorney General's office will have to abide by the terms of a $1.3 million settlement it agreed to in order to end a whistleblower suit from a former detective.

The New Jersey Law Journal reported that the office had agreed to pay the amount in January but then tried to set additional requirements on the payment. Judge Francisco Dominguez of the Camden Vicinage of the Superior Court ruled on March 2 that the state could not add new provisions to the settlement, the journal reported.

According to the article, Keith Stopko, leader of an anti-gang unit in the attorney general's office in Cherry Hill, told his supervisor that a male colleague was sexually harassing female employees, among other misconduct.

Starting in September 2011, the Law Journal reported, Stopko was excluded from promotion processes, transferred to less desirable units and offices, and lost his acting lieutenant status, even after the colleague he had complained about was fired. He heard from a coworker that his supervisor had blacklisted him for promotions as payback for reporting his concerns, according to the Law Journal.

In 2013, he took a 90-day "stress leave" and did not return to work, which he claimed was "constructive termination," the article said. The Attorney General's office maintained that he was a no-show at his job and so was dismissed with no back pay, the article said.

The New Jersey Law Journal reported that after agreeing to the settlement, the state tried to get Stopko to agree to terms that would limit his future employment by state government and his ability to get a retired officer's gun permit, give the state longer to make payment, and make the entire award taxable.

The judge said the state must abide by the earlier terms it agreed to, but Stopko, of Toms River, agreed that $300,000 of the award was back pay and so could be taxed, according to the Law Journal.

Rebecca Everett may be reached at reverett@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @rebeccajeverett. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips

 
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