As of early Wednesday morning, the battle between Republican incumbent Donna Simon and Democratic challenger Andrew Zwicker in central Jersey's 16th District remained too close to call — with only 29 votes separating them

TRENTON -- It might be a while before New Jersey knows the winner of this year's tightest state Assembly race.

As of early Wednesday morning, the battle between Republican incumbent Donna Simon and Democratic challenger Andrew Zwicker in central Jersey's 16th District remained too close to call -- with only 29 votes separating them.

Provisional ballots are still being counted, and that is likely to take through Friday because the district includes parts of four counties -- Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, and Somerset -- which are each tallying votes, said Mark Matzen, an adviser to Zwicker. 

The losing candidate would then have until next Saturday, Nov. 14, to file for a recount, Matzen said. Tuesday night, Zwicker led the unofficial tally by 29 votes.

MORE: Democrats win their largest N.J. Assembly majority in 36 years

"We're not done yet," Assembly Minority Leader Jon Bramnick (R-Union), the top Republican in the chamber, said Wednesday.

The state Division of Elections did not immediately return a message seeking comment Wednesday.

The winner will determine whether Democrats will score an even greater victory in Tuesday's elections than originally expected. Democrats tightened their control on the Assembly -- the lower house of the state Legislature -- by picking up three seats. That would bring their total to 51 seats in the 80-member lower house in January, their biggest majority since 1979. 

If Zwicker -- a Princeton University physicist who ran an unsuccessful bid for Congress last year -- wins, that would be a gain of four seats.  

MORE: Complete election results from across N.J.

The Associated Press originally declared that Simon -- an Assemblywoman since 2012 -- and her running mate, Republican Assemblyman Jack Ciatarelli, had won re-election for the district's two seats late Tuesday night. And Zwicker had already delivered his concession speech. 

But just after midnight, the AP said the margin was too thin to declare.

"It was kind of strange and surreal," Matzen said. "But that's what elections kind of are sometimes."

The closeness of the race surprised many pundits, who had not predicted the race to be one of the ones to watch Tuesday. 

"This was absolutely a surprise," said Patrick Murray, director of the Monmouth University Polling Institute.

So what happened? Ben Dworkin, a political science professor at Rider University, said the district has traditionally been Republican, but it has Democratic towns -- like Princeton and South Brunswick. 

And Tuesday's races were expected to draw a record-low turnout. 

"If there was a much larger turnout, it might not be as close," Dworkin said. 

He added that Zwicker's campaign also obtained a huge amount of information about individual voters.

"Zwicker worked his butt off," Murray said.

Brent Johnson may be reached at bjohnson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @johnsb01. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.

Trenton Business Administrator Terry McEwen served as a member of the board of directors of 6D Global Technologies

TRENTON -- Trenton Business Administrator Terry McEwen, who served as a member of the board of directors of 6D Global Technologies, is among those named in a class-action lawsuit alleging federal securities laws violations against the company.

McEwen submitted his resignation from the board Oct. 5, just eight days before the lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court in Manhattan by Sixto Castillo IV.

McEwen declined to comment on Wednesday.

Two other board members who were also named as defendants have also resigned.

The suit seeks class-action status on behalf of investors who bought stock from 6D or its predecessor CleanTech Innovations, Inc. between Nov. 3, 2010 and Sept. 10, 2015.

The lawsuit charges the company with making false and misleading statements. It alleges that during the period involved, the 33 defendants -- a group that includes top executives and board members -- were engaged in a stock manipulation scheme and related party transactions and failed to disclose that 6D lacked internal controls.

McEwen was among those who signed off on three annual reports required by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, the lawsuit said. He signed Form 10-Ks for 2012, 2013 and 2014.

PLUS: Trenton's new IT firm begins work before council approval

The lawsuit comes after the September indictment of Benjamin Wey, the founder and CEO of New York Global Group who helped facilitate the reverse merger of 6D's predecessor, CleanTech.

Wey, who is also named in the lawsuit, is accused of fraudulently taking Chinese companies public in the United States through reverse mergers, a process that involves buying the shell of an American company that had been publicly listed. Federal prosecutors said he manipulated their shares to reap tens of millions of dollars in illegal profits.

CleanTech went public in 2010 but months later, was delisted by Nasdaq for failing to disclose a financing deal, according to an SEC complaint.

The decision was later reversed in July 2013. In October of that year, McEwen joined CleanTech's board of directors. A press release at the time called McEwen a "valuable addition ... especially during the difficult period of CleanTech's potential recovery from the impact of the company's wrongful delisting by Nasdaq."

In June 2014, CleanTech announced that it entered into a merger agreement with Initial Koncepts, Inc. and would become 6D. McEwen briefly served as interim chairman and CEO through the deal's closing, forms filed with the SEC show.

The lawsuit claims that 6D's lack of internal controls allowed Wey to control the company.

In September 2014, McEwen stepped down as the interim CEO and was reappointed to the board of directors. His last day with the board is Thursday.

Wey in an email called McEwen "an outstanding public servant and a business executive with high moral standards and integrity."

A separate private action brought by Discover Growth Fund in September was dismissed last Friday. U.S. District Judge Kevin Castel said the plaintiff had no probability of success on the merits of its case.

Editor's Note: This story was updated to include a comment from Wey and information on the separate action filed against 6D.

Cristina Rojas may be reached at crojas@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @CristinaRojasTT. Find The Times of Trenton on Facebook.

 

The proposed pipeline would support around 4,000 jobs for the project, not 12,160 jobs that PennEast has said it would support, according the study

PennEast has overestimated by two-thirds the number of jobs it would create to build its proposed 118-mile natural gas pipeline, according to a new study commissioned by pipeline opponents.

The New Jersey Conservation Foundation, a vocal opponent of the proposed $1.2 billion pipeline, held an afternoon conference call to announce the study, which analyzed PennEast's economic benefit analysis released in February.

The proposed pipeline, under consideration by a federal agency, would support around 4,000 jobs for the project, not 12,160 jobs that PennEast has said it would support, according the study.

"The PennEast jobs claims are heavily inflated and based on faulty assumptions,'' Tom Gilbert, of the New Jersey Conservation Foundation, said. "The bottom line is the information can't be trusted.''

The PennEast jobs number is based on an assumption that 10.7 jobs would be created for each $1 million of the total project cost, according to Ian Goodman, founder of The Goodman Group, which conducted the study.

Similar pipelines estimate between 8-36 percent of the PennEast jobs estimate, Goodman said. 

"PennEast significantly overstates these jobs by about 2/3 or more,'' Goodman said.

Patricia Kornick, spokeswoman for PennEast, stood by the PennEast numbers Wednesday.

"Our study was done by a reputable company and it is well-documented that pipelines are strong job creators,'' Kornick said. "We will be supporting more than 12,000 jobs."

MORE: PennEast natural gas pipeline economic study questioned

PennEast, a consortium of natural gas companies that includes all four New Jersey gas providers, in September filed its formal application to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, which regulates pipelines that cross state lines. The PennEast proposal calls for a 36-inch pipeline from the Marcellus Shale region of Northeast Pennsylvania to Hopewell Township. PennEast has said the pipeline would deliver enough natural gas to heat 4.7 million homes and would reduce natural gas costs to consumers in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

No timeline was immediately available for the FERC approval process, but PennEast has said the company expects to start construction, if approved, in 2017.

PennEast in February touted a study co-authored by Drexel University's business school that said the pipeline would support 12,160 jobs during construction, with $740 million in wages. The pipeline would also support 98 jobs - 10 in New Jersey and 88 in Pennsylvania -- and generate $23 million in economic activity annually. The bulk of the economic windfall would be felt in the four Pennsylvania and two New Jersey counties where the pipeline is proposed, according to the study.

MORE: Critics decry connection between Drexel University and PennEast

Kornick later said 9,960 jobs cited in the Drexel study are ancillary positions created by the $1.6 billion in economic activity generated by the construction.

For instance, if the operator of a taco truck pulled up to a construction area to feed hungry workers at lunchtime, that operator would be counted as one of the 12,160 jobs "supported" by the a pipeline, under the formula employed by the Drexel study.

Municipal opposition to the PennEast proposal has been widespread in New Jersey. Every town through which it is proposed to travel has adopted resolutions against it, including Mercer County government.

The 71-page study released Wednesday was conducted from August to October, at a cost to the foundation of about $40,000, Gilbert said.

Keith Brown may be reached at kbrown@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @KBrownTrenton. Find The Times of Trenton on Facebook.

Police officers arrived at the two-story home shortly before 1 p.m. and found heavy smoke pumping from the second floor, Hamilton police said.

HAMILTON -- A suspicious two-alarm fire damaged a vacant home in the 230 block of South Clinton Avenue Wednesday afternoon, injuring a firefighter, officials said.

Police officers arrived at the two-story home shortly before 1 p.m. and found heavy smoke pumping from the second floor, Hamilton police said.

Firefighters arrived a short time later and were able to contain the fire to the second floor, fire officials said.

One firefighter suffered a non life-threatening injury after falling through the floor from the second floor to the first.

District 3 Firefighter Dave Krueger later identified himself on Facebook.

"Fell through a floor from the 2nd to the 1st in a fire. Wanted to thank the crew of Engine 19, Aaron Heller, Sean M Golden, and John Smisloff, for being right there as I landed," Krueger wrote in a post.

Krueger also thanked District 6 / Engine 16 firefighters Nick Buroczi and John Doyle.

"Some things are unavoidable this was one of them. Great job by all of you guys. And I thank you once again," Krueger posted.

Krueger was treated and released from a local hospital.

MORE: 2nd Hamilton fire flattens vacant house, 1st was accidental

District 3 Fire Chief Thomas Gribbin said the fire had been burning for a long time before it finally became visible from the exterior and someone noticed it and called authorities.

Since it burned for a while, the floor was weakened, Gribbin said, leading to Krueger's fall.

Nobody was found inside or near the vacant house when police or firefighters were on scene, police said.

Several Hamilton fire companies battled the blaze, led by Gribbin.

Hamilton police Detective Matthew Bagley and Mercer County Prosecutor's Office Detective Marc Masseroni and District 3 Fire Marshal Scott McCormick are investigating the fire's cause.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Bagley at 609-581-4030 or the Hamilton police crime hotline at 609-581-4008. 

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

Trenton City Council on Thursday will consider a resolution calling on the state to legalize, tax and regulate marijuana for adults

TRENTON -- Trenton City Council on Thursday will consider a resolution calling on the state to legalize, tax and regulate marijuana for adults.

North Ward Councilwoman Marge Caldwell-Wilson, who is sponsoring the resolution, said she has worked with re-entry groups and found that many young people are saddled with criminal records simply for smoking marijuana.

The resolution says that an arrest for a single marijuana cigarette can lead up to six months in jail, loss of a job, a driver's license suspension, up to $1,225 in fees and fines and eviction.

"Once these young people get incarcerated, there's no turning back," Caldwell-Wilson said. "They end up with a record and it's very difficult to get them back on track."

The resolution says that the existing laws on small amounts of marijuana waste the resources of police, prosecutors and courts that could be better spent on keeping the city safe from more serious crimes.

"We need to redefine the laws and the penalties involved," Caldwell-Wilson said.

MORE: Hundreds participate in N.J. Cannabis Freedom Rally in Trenton

This summer, Asbury Park's city council passed a similar resolution.

Ed "NJ Weedman" Forchion, who came before council in August, said the resolution is a step in the right direction, but wished council would consider the resolution he gave them.

His called on the city to add a section to its criminal statute that would decriminalize marijuana and make it the lowest priority for police.

"Twenty-two thousand people have their lives ruined every year because of our asinine marijuana laws," Forchion said. "This resolution is trying to remove that."

Cristina Rojas may be reached at crojas@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @CristinaRojasTT. Find The Times of Trenton on Facebook.

A college student was nearly impaled when she crashed her car through a fence and tree last month

WEST WINDSOR - A teenage driver spooked by an oncoming car veered off the road last month and crashed through a fence and then careened across an open field where children were playing, West Windsor police said.

By the time her car finally bounced off a tree and came to stop in the roadway, everyone, including the 18-year-old driver, remained relatively unscathed, police said.

A beam that pierced the windshield of a driver's car after she crashed into a fence in Oct. 2015. (West Windsor Police) 

Officers arrived at the scene near Mercer County Community College around 1:45 p.m. on Oct. 20 to find the teenager - a student at the college - scratched and cut from her windshield glass but not seriously injured, according to police.

Children who had been playing in the area were also unharmed.

The state of the teenager's car was in bad shape. One fence post was lodged through the windshield into the back of the car, narrowly missing the driver's seat, according to a photo provided by police.

"She's as lucky as you can get," traffic Officer Francesco LaTorre said, adding that police do not suspect drugs or alcohol were a factor in the crash.

The crash started earlier that afternoon when the teenager was driving in the college parking lot. She pulled out of a space and saw another driver - a professor at the college - coming toward her, LaTorre said.

The student veered out of the way, hit a curb and accelerated - straight into a lawn where children were playing. Parents and guardians in the lawn saw the driver coming and began frantically grabbing the children out of the way, LaTorre said.

After plowing through the lawn, the driver hit a picket fence and one of the posts pierced the driver's side of her windshield.

"She almost got impaled," LaTorre said.

A photo of a teenage driver's car after crashing through a fence, across a field and into a tree in Oct. 2015. (West Windsor Police) 

The car finally came to a stop when the driver hit a tree, bounced off and rolled back into the road, according to police.

First responders sent the teen to the hospital for evaluation, though she only had a few scratches and cuts at the scene, according to LaTorre. She was released the same day.

The girl was issued a summons for careless driving for the incident. Police declined to identify her.

Anna Merriman may be reached at amerriman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @anna_merriman Find The Times of Trenton on Facebook.

Matt Brecko was added to the list after failing to appear in Mercer County Superior Court in August for burglary charges in Ewing in 2014.

TRENTON -- A 31-year-old Ewing man charged with burglary at an apartment complex last year has been added to the county sheriff's "Mercer's Most Wanted" list.

Matt Brecko was added after failing to appear in Mercer County Superior Court in August, causing a judge to issue a bench warrant for his arrest, the Mercer County Sheriff's Office said Wednesday.

Matt Brecko 

The sheriff's office said they suspect Brecko is hiding from authorities by living on the streets and in local wooded areas. He has been spotted soliciting loose change in public and is possibly rummaging through trash bins to sustain himself, the sheriff's office said.

Brecko is also known to ride a bicycle along Delaware & Raritan Canal paths in the county, and sometimes fishing from them.

The original charges against Brecko allege he entered an apartment on West Farrell Avenue in Ewing using a master key he never returned to the complex, where he previously worked, the sheriff's office said.

Brecko is 5 feet 9 inches tall and weighs 150 pounds. His last known address is Harrop Place in Ewing.

MORE: Ewing police investigating shooting, possible victim

Brecko was a star two-way football player at Ewing High School in the early 2000s.

In 2002, he was led the Colonial Valley Conference 15 rushing touchdowns and anchored the school's No. 1-ranked defense as a safety. At the time, he was the school's second-leading scorer of all time.

In 2005, The Times of Trenton named him to the All Colonial Valley Conference Half-Decade Team as a defensive back, and he was named to the second team of the All Colonial Valley Conference Decade Team in 2010, also for his defensive play.

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Brecko is asked to contact the sheriff's office at 609-989-6111 or sheriff's Detective John Seals at 609-273-5340. All calls are confidential.

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

 

Thanks to the presidential candidates, immigration is once again at the forefront of the national agenda. Unfortunately, the focus on unauthorized immigrants threatens to cast a pall over the whole issue. As we continue the debate, we would do well to remember that a willingness to welcome people from all over the world is one of our nation's greatest strengths.

By Gene A. Budig and Alan Heaps

Thanks to the presidential candidates, immigration is once again at the forefront of the national agenda.  Unfortunately, the focus on unauthorized immigrants threatens to cast a pall over the whole issue.  As we continue the debate, we would do well to remember that a willingness to welcome people from all over the world is one of our nation's greatest strengths. 

Fifty years ago, America set in motion the "fourth wave of immigration." The 1965 passage of the Hart-Celler Act ended the national origin quotas that had favored the Northern European countries since 1924 and opened the doors to the Hispanic and Asian immigrants who would reshape America.   

Passed as an extension of the civil rights movement, few expected the bill to result in major changes.  President Lyndon B. Johnson said, "This bill we sign today is not a revolutionary bill.  It does not affect the lives of millions. It will not restructure the shape of our daily lives."

He, and the others who predicted a similar outcome, were wrong.    

• Since 1965, 59 million immigrants have arrived. Approximately 25 percent of our current population is first or second generation Americans.
• The percent of foreign-born Americans has risen steadily.  In 1965 it was 5 percent; today it is 14 percent; by 2065 it will be 18 percent. (The historic peak was 14.8 percent in 1890.) 
• Hispanics and Asians account for most of the increase.  In 1965, they were 5 percent of the total population; today they are 24 percent; by 2065 they will be 38 percent.
• The largest current immigrant group is Hispanics but this is changing. By 2055, it will be Asians. 
• America has four times more immigrants than the country with the next largest immigrant population (Russia).

Contrary to some political narratives, the changes cited above are supported by Americans.

A recent Gallup poll reports that 73 percent believe immigration is "a good thing...for this country today" and 65 percent believe immigration levels should increased or kept at its present level. This is confirmed by a Public Religion Institute Poll. It tells us that 55 percent of Americans say immigrants strengthen our country compared to 36 percent who say immigrants are a burden.

So why the support?

Immigrants give us economic strength.  They are 17 percent of our workforce; 33 percent of our engineers and 27 percent of our mathematicians, statisticians and computer scientists; small business owners that employ 4.7 million people and generate $776 billion annually; and founders (along with their children) of more than 40 percent of the Fortune 500 companies including Google, eBay, Yahoo!, Sun Microsystems and Intel.

And there are other important benefits in this increasingly interconnected world: linguistic and cultural diversity, expertise and exposure to other ways of life, enthusiasm and ambition, and connections to millions or people in other countries.  

America is primarily a nation of voluntary immigrants. Two percent of Americans are Native Americans and 13 percent are Black (most of whose ancestors were forced to come here), but 85 percent are voluntary immigrants or their descendants.  We should be proud of this heritage.  

At the signing of the Hart-Cellar Immigration Act on October 3, 1965, President Johnson said that "The land flourished because it was fed from so many sources -- because it was nourished by so many cultures and traditions and peoples." 

It was true fifty years ago and it is even more true today.

Gene A. Budig is past president of three major universities (Illinois State University, West Virginia University and the University of Kansas) and of Major League Baseball's American League. Alan Heaps is a former vice president of the College Board.

Follow The Times of Trenton on Twitter @TimesofTrenton. Find The Times of Trenton on Facebook.

Jersey-fresh and ready for your holiday table

Prefer a farm-to-table turkey to a supermarket bird this Thanksgiving?

To make your holiday Jersey-fresh, here's a list of New Jersey farms that sell turkeys raised locally or nearby. The farms are taking orders now, so if you're planning on buying a local bird this year, it's best to act soon. Here's a selection of farms to get you started.

Farms that are sold out of turkeys for the season are not listed here. If you know of another N.J. farm that raises fresh turkeys, please tell us in the comments below.

• Abma's Farm in Wyckoff has "fresh killed" turkeys for $3.19 a pound, from as small as 8 to 10 pounds to as big as 35-plus pounds. The farm is at 700 Lawlins Road; call 201-891-0278 or visit abmasfarm.com

RELATED: The case for the cranberry, New Jersey's native Thanksgiving fruit

• Ashley Farms in Flanders (Mount Olive Township) has fresh "homegrown" turkeys from 14 to 45 pounds available through December and fresh-frozen turkeys all year. The farm is at 25 Hillside Ave. Call 973-584-7578 or visit ashleyfarmsonline.com and the farm's Thanksgiving page.

• Churutabis Farm in Frankford Township sells fresh turkeys that range from 15 to 30 pounds. The farm is at 53 Hyatt Road in Branchville; pickup is the Sunday before Thanksgiving at 50 Hyatt Road. Call 973-271-2979, visit churutabis.com or email 

  hannelie@churutabis.com

John DeGroot checks a turkey at Ashley Farms in Flanders in 1995. (Star-Ledger file photo)
 

• DiPaola Turkey Farm in Hamilton has free-range turkeys and turkey products. The farm store is at 883 Edinburg Road in Hamilton. Open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday and noon to 4 p.m. Saturday. Call 609-587-9311 or visit dipaolaturkeyfarm.com

• Double Brook Farm in Hopewell has Narragansett, Black Spanish, Bourbon Red, Broad-Breasted Whites and Bronzes and Blue Slate free-range turkeys. Double Brook's Brick Farm Market is at 65 E. Broad St. in Hopewell. Fresh turkeys are $6.50 per pound, ranging from 8 pounds to 28-plus pounds. A $20 deposit is required and turkeys will be available for pickup Nov. 23 through 25. Call 609-466-3594 or 609-466-6500 or visit brickfarmmarket.com 

• Flatbrook Farm in Sandyston sells fresh turkeys that are raised on a pasture and fed "transitional organic feed" for six months. "Towards the end of the life cycle our birds are mature, strong, and fully expressing their individuality," staff say on the farm website, which lists the turkeys at $7 per pound, with a $20 deposit required for Thanksgiving. Flatbrook Farm is at 3 Degroat Road in Branchville; closed except for during pickup times. Call 973-948-2554 or email flatbrookfarm@flatbrookfarm.com to place an order and ask about pickup schedule; visit flatbrookfarm.com 

Red Bourbon and Standard Bronze heritage turkeys that Griggstown Farm in 2009. (Aristide Economopoulos/The Star-Ledger)
 

• Goffle Road Poultry Farm in Wyckoff, which raises turkeys in "open turkey porches," has birds ranging from 10 pounds to 26-plus pounds. The farm is at 549 Goffle Road. Call 201-444-3238 or visit gofflepoultry.com

• Gordon Dey Farm in Cranbury has fresh, organic turkeys which are raised in Pennsylvania. The farm is at 215 Dey Road. Call 609-395-0232 or visit the farm's Facebook page.

• Griggstown Farm in Princeton has fresh, free-range plain or brined turkeys available for pickup at various locations including Princeton, Bernardsville and Flemington. The farm store is at 484 Bunker Hill Road. Call 908-359-5218 or visit griggstownfarm.com 

• Hinck Turkey Farm in Manasquan raises young turkeys from shortly after they hatch and sells them both fresh and frozen. Hinck also has Turducken breasts. The farm is at 1414 Atlantic Ave. Call 732-223-5622 or visit hincksfarm.com

• Lee Turkey Farm in East Windsor has fresh turkeys from October through Jan. 2 and raises about 5,000 turkeys a year; advance orders required for Thanksgiving. The farm is at 201 Hickory Corner Road. Call 609-448-0629 or visit leeturkeyfarm.com

Turkeys at Goffle Road Poultry Farm in Wyckoff in 2005. (Star-Ledger file photo).
 

• Lima Family Farms in Hillsborough has pastured turkeys available for pre-order at $5.25 per pound -- ranging from 12 to 24-plus pounds -- at its farm store and various farm markets. The Lima farm store, open 1 to 5 p.m. Thursday and Friday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, is at 826 Amwell Road. Deposits are $40; cash or check only. Pickup is the Tuesday and Wednesday before Thanksgiving. Call 908-336-8238 or visit limafamilyfarms.com

• Mallery's Grazin' Meats in Skillman has fresh, grass-fed organic turkeys at $10 per pound; $50 deposit required. The farm store is at 382 Georgetown Franklin Turnpike (Route 518). Call 609-309-5451 or visit mallerysgrazinmeats.com

• Spring Valley Turkey Farm in Old Bridge raises its turkeys in a pen ("cage-free environment"). They range from 25 to 35 pounds, which means they top out at a processed weight of 18 to 30 pounds. The farm is at 402 Spring Valley Road in Old Bridge. Call 732-970-5265 or visit springvalleynj.com

• Three Meadows Farm in Bedminster has fresh turkeys ranging from 12 to 30 pounds. The farm is at 1130 Burnt Mills Road; call 908-719-7781 or visit threemeadowsfarmnj.com

• Totten Family Farm in Long Valley has heritage-breed pastured turkeys. They can be reserved with a $50 deposit. The farm is at 442 Naughright Road. Call 908-850-0555 or visit tottenfamilyfarm.com

• Vacchiano Farms in Washington Township, Warren County, has free-range turkeys. Farm staff visit the Montclair Farmers Market from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Saturday at the Walnut Street train station; they are at the Summit Farmers Market from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Sunday at the corner of Deforest Avenue and Maple Street. Call 908-310-5625 for more information or visit vacchianofarm.com

• Vernon Valley Farm in Sussex has pasture-raised turkeys at $6.50 a pound. The farm is at 99 Sandhill Road. Call 973-209-4829 or visit vernonvalleyfarm.com

Tyron Lindsay, 38, was charged with killing the woman, who was a former classmate of his. More details were released Thursday.

TRENTON - The Hamilton man charged with strangling Jessica Prusik last month and leaving her body in a park had known his alleged victim since high school and the two remained acquaintances, attorneys said during a bail hearing Thursday.

Tyron Lindsay, 38, faces a murder charge in the October killing of Prusik, who was a married mother and stepmother. 

Tyron LindsayMercer County Proescutor's Office 

"He was definitely the last known person with her," Assistant Prosecutor Stacey Geurds said at the hearing.

The prosecutor said Lindsay and Prusik spent the day together on Oct. 5. Prusik was found dead the morning of Oct. 6 in John A. Roebling Memorial Park.

Lindsay was taken into custody the next day on unrelated warrants. He was charged in late October with killing Prusik and was being held on a $1 million bail until the hearing Thursday when a judge lowered his bail to $750,000.

In interviews with investigators, Lindsay admitted that he was with Prusik on Oct. 5, but insisted that she dropped him off at home that day and drove away in a pickup truck, Geurds said. 

The 1992 pickup truck that Prusik used, but didn't own, was found in mid-October in Bucks County, Pa.  

RELATED: Arrest made in killing of Hamilton woman found in park

Guerds said Lindsay rented a motel room Oct. 5 in Pennsylvania.

Security cameras showed Lindsay leaving the motel in the pickup just before 7 a.m. on Oct. 6 and other security cameras showed him driving back into New Jersey, according to Geurds.

A witness saw Lindsay driving the pickup truck into the park where Prusik's body was later found, Geurds said.

Around 10 a.m. on Oct. 6 - just an hour after police discovered the body- Lindsay picked up a person in a truck, Geurds said. He had scratches on his hand and Prusik's purse in the car, the person later told investigators, Geurds said.

While police were still investigating the homicide, Lindsay was using bank cards from Prusik's purse in attempts to get money from her account, Geurds said. He called customer service for one card, gave Prusik's name and claimed to be her boyfriend, according to prosecutors.

The prosecutor's office cited Lindsay's prior robbery conviction when asking for a higher bail.

Lindsay's attorney Jack Furlong argued his client was not a flight risk. He acknowledged Thursday that Lindsay and Prusik had known each other for years and got high together.

Prusik's obituary and the Times of Trenton archives show that they attended Nottingham High School in Hamilton together in the 1990s.

Anna Merriman may be reached at amerriman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @anna_merriman Find The Times of Trenton on Facebook.    

Ramon Reimer, 38, was charged with 73 counts each of auto theft, fencing and receiving stolen property

TRENTON - A Trenton man was charged with stealing at least 73 cars - valued at more than $100,000 - and selling them to a Morrisville, Pa. auto wrecker, Trenton police said.

Ramon Reimer, 38, was arrested and charged with stealing 73 cars in Trenton.Courtesy Trenton Police 

Ramon Reimer, 38, was arrested by members of the Warrant Squad on Oct. 28 on the 800 block of Lindale Avenue. He was charged with 73 counts each of auto theft, fencing and receiving stolen property. His bail is currently set at $100,000, Detective Sgt. Darren Zappley said.

Zappley said their investigation is ongoing and Pennsylvania authorities are investigating the auto wrecker, with possible charges pending.

Trenton police along with a State Police unit three months ago began tracking stolen late-model Honda Civics and Accords that were disappearing from the east side of the city, beginning in January, according to Sgt. Darren Zappley.

MORE: Trenton woman charged with pouring bleach on neighbor's head

One of those cars was equipped with a GPS device, which led police to the Morrisville salvage yard. Records were subpoenaed, and police found a series of checks made out to one person, Zappley said.

Those checks were cashed, in Trenton, at the same check cashing business in an East Trenton neighborhood near where most of the cars were stolen, Zappley said.

Police declined to name either business.

Records at the check casher were seized, revealing that Reimer cashed numerous checks from the auto wrecker in Trenton, Zappley said.

"He left a long paper trail,'' Zappley said.

Reimer made about $22,000 selling stolen cars to the Pennsylvania auto wrecker since January, Zappley said.

The cars were older vehicles dating back to 1994, which were easier to steal, Zappley said. The newest car was a 2001, he said.

The estimated value of all the cars totaled about $108,000, Zappley said.

Trenton detectives Kevin Starkey and William Salhanick, along with State Police Detective Matt Conde, are credited with the investigation leading to Reimer's arrest, Zappley said.

Keith Brown may be reached at kbrown@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @KBrownTrenton. Find The Times of Trenton on Facebook.

 

ADPC's contract with the city expired on Saturday after providing IT services to the city for the past 28 years

TRENTON -- Trenton is again being sued by its longtime IT provider ADPC Inc. who claims that the firm who is set to be awarded the new contract submitted a defective bid.

File photo of Trenton City Hall on E. State St.Michael Mancuso | For NJ.com 

Wednesday's lawsuit follows another suit that was filed by ADPC in mid-September over the first request for proposals process.

ADPC's contract with the city expired on Saturday after providing IT services to the city for the past 28 years.

FCC Consulting Services started work on Monday, but a decision on whether to award the three-year, $2.4 million contract to the company will not be made until tonight's council meeting.

MORE: Trenton's new IT firm begins work before council approval

Earlier this week, Business Administrator Terry McEwen said the procurement process allows the city to have access to a firm pending council's approval when it necessary, as is the case with maintaining the city's hardware and software systems.

"There was no way for either firm to be extended without a contract and this is the first opportunity the city has to get approval from council," Acting Law Director Marc McKithen had said. "Was it better to go with the old firm with no contract or the new firm with no contract? That is a choice the administration had to make."

In July, the city first put out an RFP to provide technical support services for the city's information system.

ADPC, FCC and five other vendors submitted a bid.

ADPC's last contract would have expired Dec. 31, 2014, but multiple extensions were granted -- the most recent being from Sept. 1 through Oct. 31.

The city's purchasing agent told ADPC CEO Joseph Harris that the extension was needed because the administration needed to "substantially revise the specifications for the goods and services, reject the proposals received by resolution and allow time ... to re-advertise the competitive contract solicitation."

At an August council meeting, McEwen had said there was a three-way tie between the proposals and council later rejected the bids at the following meeting.

ADPC in the suit contends it was the lowest responsible bidder after submitting the only fully responsive and fully compliant bid.

"The rejection of all bids by Defendant City was arbitrary and capricious," the lawsuit said. "Plaintiff is entitled to be awarded the contract in question."

A second RFP was issued in September, drawing 12 responses.

In the lawsuit filed on Wednesday, ADPC claims that FCC's bid was defective because the document checklist was not initialed in all of the required places, the political contribution disclosure form was not signed and neither a business registration certificate nor a "non-collusion affidavit" was provided.

The suit says several RFP requirements were not addressed and it's unclear whether the staff members listed in FCC's proposal are in fact employees.

The suit also raised questions about ties between city officials and FCC and its president, Chris Carothers.

One of its listed clients is Trenton Educational Development Corporation, where City Council President Zachary Chester previously served as its director of statistical support. Carothers also donated a combined $400 to Chester's 2010 campaign, campaign finance records show.

Another client was the Housing Authority of Plainfield, the city where Mayor Eric Jackson worked before becoming mayor.

McEwen and Carothers both graduated from Rider University and serve on the school's board of trustees.

The suit also notes that Drew Procaccino, an associate professor at Rider, was brought in by the city to validate the process and review the proposals from a technical perspective.

ADPC claims once again that it was the only fully compliant bid and should be awarded the contract. It is also alleges that the city did not comply with open public records requests.

Cristina Rojas may be reached at crojas@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @CristinaRojasTT. Find The Times of Trenton on Facebook.

With nearly every Catholic hospital excluded from Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey's new line of discounted health plans, the state's bishops have asked the insurance giant's CEO to expand the network to include "the vulnerable populations we serve."

TRENTON -- With nearly every Catholic hospital excluded from Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey's new line of discounted health plans, the state's bishops have asked the insurance giant's CEO to expand the network to include "the vulnerable populations we serve."

In a letter sent to Horizon President and CEO Robert Marino Oct. 28 and obtained by NJ Advance Media, the 10 Catholic bishops said they had long considered the Newark-based company "a partner in delivering health services even to the vulnerable populations we serve."

"With the rollout of the Horizon Omnia Alliance that partnership seems to be a memory," the letter said.

RELATED: Horizon N.J.'s new insurance plan: What we know so far

This is the second time a Catholic organization has criticized Horizon's OMNIA Alliance, a partnership with 22 hospitals that have agreed to accept smaller reimbursements but would be financially rewarded for quality and keeping people healthy. Another 14 hospitals Horizon designated as "Tier one" facilities also agreed to accept lower reimbursement in exchange for higher patient volume. 

In September, Sister Patricia Codey, president of the Catholic HealthCare Partnership representing Catholic hospitals, accused Horizon of deliberately excluding Catholic hospitals from participating in a new plan that will discourage customers from using their facilities. 

The eventual outcome will be cost-conscious people will avoid the 36 remaining "Tier 2" hospitals, which received a derogatory-sounding designation for reasons Horizon has refused to adequately explain, according to OMNIA's critics.

With 3.8 million customers, Horizon wields considerable buying power, and the excluded hospitals -- many of them Catholic, located in cities or serve a sizable number of uninsured and Medicaid clients -- say they fear they will lose a substantial amount of revenue.    

"We are disappointed in the lack of transparency in the process Horizon utilized to exclude all Catholic hospitals except one (St. Joseph's Healthcare System) from Tier 1 designation," according to the bishops'  letter. 

"We are disappointed because the Horizon plan will 'steer' patients to preferred Tier 1 hospitals at the expense of Catholic and other hospitals. The end result of the Horizon decisions could be the closure of Catholic hospitals with disastrous impact on the people of our State, especially those who are most vulnerable," the letter said.

"Mr. Marino, we look forward to working with you personally to repair our broken partnership -- a partnership that for decades has been critically important for the people of New Jersey," the letter said.

Horizon's spokesman could not immediately be reached for comment. 

But in previous interviews and public remarks, Horizon executives said they invited the 22 hospitals to join OMNIA because they had the lowest readmission rates and the best scores on patient safety and quality measures.

They offered a range of inpatient, outpatient and post-acute care services, and had already begun using a "value-based" payment model that rewards preventive care. They also had to score high on patient satisfaction surveys. Horizon also favored the largest hospitals and systems, including those that serve a sizable number of Horizon members.

Tier 1 hospitals were chosen to fill out the geographic needs of customers across the state, Horizon officials said. 

Customers who buy an OMNIA coverage will pay about 15 percent less than they would using another Horizon plan, which take effective in January. But most other Horizon plans will remain, the company has said. Those plans include the same hospitals that are included in the network today.

The exclusion of most Catholic hospitals is a coincidence, Minal Patel, Horizon's senior vice president and chief strategy officer, said after Codey criticized the company two months ago. 

"We did not take into account religious affiliation or tax status. . .We looked at who will be in the best position to avoid wasted medical spending, such as unnecessary tests," Patel said. The data used to evaluate the hospitals "is publicly available. The outcomes were the outcomes. There was no desire one way or another to include or exclude" Catholic hospitals, he said.

State lawmakers have also criticized Horizon for OMNIA's design and have asked the state Attorney General's Office and the Federal Trade Commission to investigate whether the plans violate any laws.

The letter from the Catholic Conference is signed by John J. Myers, Archbishop for the Archdiocese of Newark; Bernard A. Hebda Co-adjutor Archbishop for the Archdiocese of Newark; Bishop David M. O'Connell for the Trenton diocese; Bishop Dennis J. Sullivan for the Camden diocese; Bishop Paul G. Bootkoski for the Metuchen Diocese; Bishop Kurt Burnette of the Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Passaic; Bishop Yousif B. Habash, Our Lady of Deliverance Syriac Catholic Diocese; Bishop John W. Flesey Auxiliary Bishop for the Newark Archdiocese; Auxiliary Bishop Manuel A. Cruz of Newark; and Bishop Arthur J. Serratelli, Diocese of Paterson.    

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

 

Victor Reed, 53, was arrested and charged inside a house on the 300 block of Oakland Street without incident

TRENTON - A Trenton man was arrested and charged with burglary and theft after police found him emptying a house on Oakland Street, authorities said.

File photo of a Trenton Police vehicle (Michael Mancuso | The Times of Trenton) 

Victor Reed, 53, was arrested and charged inside a house on the 300 block of Oakland Street without incident around 9:30 p.m. Wednesday, Varn said.

Police were called to the to the house on a report of a burglary in progress and found a bag filled with shoes, DVDs and electronic devices near the rear of the house, Lt. Stephen Varn said.

The back door of the house had been kicked in and police saw a man inside the house disconnecting cables from electronics, Varn said.

Keith Brown may be reached at kbrown@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @KBrownTrenton. Find The Times of Trenton on Facebook.

 

The first networking event for the MIDJersey Chamber of Commerce's Hispanic Business Council was held Thursday.

HAMILTON - The MIDJersey Chamber of Commerce kicked off its Hispanic Business Council with a networking event Thursday at the Robert Wood Johnson Conference Center in Hamilton.

The event and council - aiming to help local and statewide Hispanic businesses grow - started forming six months ago through the direction of Hamilton Councilwoman Ileana Schirmer, as well as MIDJersey's vice president Amy McKenna and Dana Rodriguez, who will run the council.

Leah Pappalardo of AR James Advertising speaks with Alvaro Lopez of AJ Cleanness at the first Hispanic Business Council networking event Nov. 5, 2015 in Hamilton. (Lindsay Rittenhouse | For NJ.com) 

"We had a program like this years ago," Schirmer said. "I wanted to restart it, so I discussed with Amy (McKenna) and Dana (Rodriguez) as well as the people in the community as to, 'How should we do this?' '"

Schirmer, McKenna and Rodriguez said they were unsure of why or when the previous Hispanic council was shut down but they are "excited to restart it."

Schirmer said the main goal is to help Hispanic businesses develop within the community.

ALSO: New McDonald's in Trenton to serve up 100 jobs

McKenna said the Hispanic Business Council is looking to hold two annual "stand-alone" events and one in coordination with the Diversity Council, also under the MIDJersey Chamber of Commerce.

"We're very excited," Rodriguez said. "We're hoping to keep the momentum going so the council can continue to grow."

Nelson Abreu - senior loan officer for Finance of America Mortgage in Hamilton - said on Thursday he is looking "to see what's going on in the Hispanic community."

"We have a lot of Hispanic clients," Abreu said. "I'm very fortunate to help a lot of Hispanics."

Alvaro Lopez - manager of AJ Cleanness Corp. in Princeton - said he attended the event hoping to gain some advice for his office cleaning business.

"It's good to know they have this type of meeting," Lopez said. "I want to learn more and see what advice (other business leaders) have."

Leah Pappalardo - account manager for AR James Media in Allentown, who stopped to chat with Lopez - said her advertising company reaches mostly areas in northern N.J. with 86 percent catering to the Hispanic community.

"My objective for coming was to let businesses know, who may not have otherwise, about their advertising opportunities up north," Pappalardo said.

Lindsay Rittenhouse may be reached at lrittenhouse@njadvancemedia.com. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

 

A teen driver was killed Thursday morning when the vehicle she was driving crashed into a tree on Interstate 195.

UPPER FREEHOLD - A teen driver was killed Thursday morning when the vehicle she was driving crashed into a tree on Interstate 195.

Shortly after 10:30 a.m., State Police were called to Interstate 195 in Upper Freehold for a single-car crash into the woods.

 

A 17-year-old female was driving 2001 Toyota Camry eastbound in the left lane of the highway near mile marker 9 when she suddenly failed to maintain control of the vehicle, state police Sgt. 1st Class Gregory Williams said.

The vehicle began to rotate in a southeastern direction before it exited off the right side of the roadway with its driver's side leading and struck a tree, Williams said.

The driver - whose identity was withheld pending notification of next of kin - was pronounced dead at the scene at 10:59 a.m., authorities said.

No one else was in the vehicle at the time of the crash, Williams said.

The New Jersey State Police Fatal Accident Investigation and Crime Scene units, as well as the New Jersey Department of Transportation, responded to the scene.

The right lane of Interstate 195 was closed during the accident investigation.

The crash was still being investigated as of 4:30 p.m., Williams said.

Rob Spahr may be reached at rspahr@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TheRobSpahr. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

A Superior Court judge on Thursday temporarily blocked Trenton City Council from moving ahead with a vote on the new IT contract

TRENTON -- A state Superior Court judge on Thursday temporarily blocked Trenton City Council from moving ahead with a vote on the new IT contract.

File photo of Mercer County Assignment Judge Mary JacobsonMartin Griff/The Times of Trenton 

The decision came an hour before the meeting, where council was scheduled to vote on whether to award a three-year, $2.4 million contract to FCC Consulting Services.

The city's longtime IT provider ADPC Inc., whose contract expired Saturday, had requested the temporary restraint.

Meanwhile, FCC started work on Monday under an emergent basis and would continue to do.

Earlier in the hearing, Elyse Crawford, an attorney representing the city, said the injunction would create a situation that jeopardizes the city's ability to perform its daily services.

"You could have extended the contract," Judge Mary Jacobson replied. "It was done before. They created this situation themselves by not extending the contract to cover any gap."

Jacobson said she did not know the legality of whether FCC could provide services to the city without a contract, but that the issue was not before her.

"All I'm saying is they can't award the contract tonight because the plaintiff has presented sufficient questions to merit the temporary restraint pending the opportunity of the city to oppose it," she said.

MORE: Trenton faces 2 lawsuits from longtime IT provider that was replaced

The judge said she was most concerned with the evaluation process, more so than the other technical issues and connections that ADPC had raised.

"It's clear that there was bad blood between the city and this entity," she said. "Did that mean they weren't given a fair share? I don't know, but I'm not convinced on the basis of the materials that I have seen that the evaluation process was on an even playing field."

Jacobson said the two-and-a-half-page evaluation report was conclusory and gave neither the council members nor the public an accurate representation of the proposals.

"If the council is getting what I reviewed, I don't have a good understanding," she said. "Those little bullet points of advantages, disadvantages really didn't tell me much and there's a whole sense of 'Is there bias against ADPC that has run through this process?'" she said.

Jacobson said the questions raised by ADPC need to be addressed.

"If I'm not satisfied, how is it in the public interest to allow the process to go forward and be ratified when there's questions?" she said. "The citizens of Trenton are entitled to have a clear, transparent record of what's in that evaluation.

"Were people working on an even playing field? Was the deck stacked against this company or not?" she continued. "To me, that's the biggest thing for the public interest."

Cristina Rojas may be reached at crojas@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @CristinaRojasTT. Find The Times of Trenton on Facebook.

Princeton University must prove why they deserve to remain tax-exempt. It's the latest development in a lawsuit filed four years ago.

PRINCETON - Princeton University must prove why they deserve to remain free from paying property taxes or face having that tax-exempt status taken away, according to a decision handed down by Tax Court Judge Vito Bianco Thursday.

The decision is the latest development in a lawsuit that was filed by a handful of local residents and attorney Bruce Afran in 2011. The lawsuit challenges Princeton University's tax-exempt status, which comes with being a nonprofit institution.

The university filed a motion in July and submitted a brief in the state's tax court, claiming that the responsibility of proving why Princeton University should have to pay taxes fell to the residents, according to Bianco's response. 

Bianco answered the motion Thursday, placing the burden on the university, rather than the residents.

RELATED: Mediator may resolve lawsuit challenging Princeton University

In a statement released following the decision Thursday, college spokesman Martin Mbugua wrote that the university filed the July motion for clarification, "recognizing that it is usually the plaintiffs who need to prove their claims."

"We now move forward to prepare for trial under the rules as they have now been clarified," the statement read. 

It's a significant decision in the overall case, according to Afran, who said he believes Princeton University is far from non-profit. 

"I think it's going to be difficult for them to prove... They are major commercial players. They are able to do that in part because they don't pay taxes," Afran said. He listed the school's internal hedge fund and office buildings the university owns as evidence of their commercial focus.

The university pays taxes on houses and stores it owns in Princeton. But their tax-exempt status on the rest of their property means that regular residents are paying 20 - 30 percent more in taxes, Afran said. 

Princeton University has long been battling the lawsuit. They unsuccessfully tried to dismiss the suit the same year it was filed, as well as two additional legal complaints from the residents in 2014 and 2015. 

The lawsuit is indicative of a larger issue, Afran said, adding that many modern universities are like Princeton University in that they have a commercial focus.

"What this case shows it that the modern university has changed. They are no longer poor nonprofits," he said. "They should be paying property taxes."

Anna Merriman may be reached at amerriman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @anna_merriman Find The Times of Trenton on Facebook.  

This article was updated to include a statement from the university.  

 

The 36th annual Coalition for Peace Action Conference and Interfaith Service will be held Sunday Nov. 8 in Princeton from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

PRINCETON - The 36th annual Coalition for Peace Action Conference and Interfaith Service for Peace will be held on Sunday in Princeton. This year's focus is on "New Horizons for Peacemaking and Equality."

The event will bring 33 religious and civic groups together to discuss various topics that focus on global issues, such as the "No War, No Warming Campaign," said the Rev. Robert Moore, executive director for the Coalition for Peace Action in Princeton.

"A lot of people don't know that the climate crisis is a cause for many wars," Moore said. "It's a pre-cursor to what is going on in Syria right now."

MORE: Trenton rally calls for peace among all religions

He said another topic of discussion will be the "militarization of the police" and "mass incarceration."

"In Ferguson, when I saw on television police coming out dressed in military garb, I thought 'what country do I live in?'" Moore said.

Other topics will include gun-violence prevention and drone warfare.

The Interfaith Service - led by the Rev. Dr. Susan Thistlewaite - begins at 11 a.m. at the Princeton University Chapel and is free to the public.

The conference will be held from 1:30-5 p.m. at the Nassau Presbyterian Church in Princeton. Admission is limited to 130 people. Registration can be completed at the Coalition for Peace Action website or by calling 609-924-5022.

To kick off the conference, Allentown High School student Bianca Allen - also a member of the NAACP Trenton Chapter Youth - will perform a song.

Moore said Allen is an "accomplished young singer" who recently performed at the open of the NAACP Trenton Chapter Freedom Fund Awards Gala.

The conference is free for students, $20 for people of limited income, $30 for coalition members and $40 for non-members, Moore said.

Lindsay Rittenhouse may be reached at lrittenhouse@njadvancemedia.com. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Hamilton's Blend Bar and Bistro's sixth annual "Movember" drink-for-a-cause charity throughout November kicked off Sunday Nov. 1 with a shaving party.

HAMILTON - Hamilton's Blend Bar and Bistro's sixth annual "Movember" drink-for-a-cause charity kicked off Sunday with a shaving party.

For the month of November, 2-percent of the money the bar earns from selling Bolero Snort Brewery's Moovember Milk Stout will go to The Movember Foundation, which focuses on funding and bringing awareness to men's health issues, such as prostate and testicular cancers.

On Sunday, TJ's Chop Shop Haircutting Lounge, located next to Blend Bar and Bistro, set up a few chairs for the kickoff to shave men's beards as November is also known as a month for men to not shave.

While Blend Bar and Bistro manager Rick Stripp, Jr., with the help of his brother Dan Stripp, started donating beer-sale proceeds through November to the foundation six years ago, this was the first year the bar teamed up with Bolero Snort Brewery and TJ's Chop Shop.

"Our grandfather (Clint Rex) died years ago, before either of us knew him, of prostate cancer," Rick Stripp, Jr., said. "I'm passionate about the charity ... and the guys at Bolero Snort are just as passionate about beer as I am."

ALSO: Movember: Grow a mustache, stick it to prostate cancer

Rick Stripp, Jr. said of shaving his own beard, he had "little to no desire to do it" but will because "it's for a good cause." All proceeds made from the shaves went to The Movember Foundation.

Bolero Snort Brewery sales and event manager Scott Wells, also at the kickoff, said if enough money was raised during the kickoff he would shave his beard as well.

Rick Stripp, Jr., is pictured bottom middle. Scott Wells is second from the left. Bob Olson is second from the right.Lindsay Rittenhouse 

Brewery Founder Bob Olson was one of the first to shave his beard.

"I look terrible without facial hair," Olson said while under the razor. But he said he was happy to help build on Rick and Dan Stripp's charity efforts.

On Nov. 28 Blend Bar and Bistro will also be hosting a "Stash Bash" to announce the Movember earnings and to celebrate their month of fundraising with live music and giveaways of Movember merchandise, such as stickers and hats.

Rick Stripp, Jr., said he hopes to raise at least $10,000 by the end of November.

Lindsay Rittenhouse may be reached at lrittenhouse@njadvancemedia.com. Find NJ.com on Facebook.