Eoff was waived up to Superior Court from juvenile court in April of last year.

Jury selection began Tuesday for the Trenton teenager who's one of three people accused of luring a Trenton man into an alley and shooting him to death. 

Mada Eoff was 17 years old at the time of the September 2016 killing of 19-year-old Lance Beckett. Eoff was waived up to Superior Court from juvenile court in April 2017. He is one of three people accused of killing Beckett. 

Prosecutors have said that Eoff, Omar Kennedy, 34 and Quashawn Emanuel, 18, lured Beckett into an alley off East Stuyvesant Avenue on Sept. 18.

Emanuel has since pleaded guilty to second-degree manslaughter, with a recommended sentence of 8 years in state prison. The case against Kennedy, who has admitted he was there when Beckett was killed but maintains his innocence, is still pending trial.

Beckett was shot near the alley but prosecutors have not identified which person they believe was the gunman. Kennedy is accused of stomping on Beckett's head after he was shot.

Olivia Rizzo may be reached at orizzo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @LivRizz. Find NJ.com on Facebook

Would you support a law mandating compulsory voting for all eligible voters in New Jersey?

Since 1962, it has been mandatory for Australian citizens 18 years and older to enroll to vote. They also are required to go the polls on Election Day, or to cast their vote by mail.

Citizens who choose not to vote in a state election - and who fail to provide a valid reason - pay a $20 fine for a first offense, $50 for subsequent lapses.

As he prepared to transition from state assemblyman to state senator this week, Troy Singleton (D-Burlington) posed an important question to his fellow Garden State citizens.

Would you support a law mandating compulsory voting for all eligible voters in New Jersey?

Singleton's query on a private Facebook page sponsored by Action Together - Burlington County drew an onslaught of comments, most of them respectful and well-reasoned.

Some of the posters lauded Australia's laws; others argued that forcing people to vote would likely produce an uninformed electorate at best, an ill-informed electorate at worst.

Singleton's question to his constituents is motivated by a stark reality: Huge segments of the population opt to stay home every Election Day, leaving the choice of who runs their state - or country - to someone else.

Why did N.J. have record low voter turnout on Election Day?

The low turn-out might be a sign of alienation from the system as a whole, or disgust over the available candidates vying for the seat up for grabs.

Tragically, people also are intimidated by those who would suppress the vote for their own nefarious reasons, by means of flawed voter-ID laws, disinformation about voting times and/or places, or illegally purged voting rolls.

Yet we know that sitting out an election for whatever reason leads to unequal representation among important segments of the population - the opposite of a healthy, functioning democracy.

Like many of the Facebook-users who responded to Singleton's informal poll this past week, we question whether forcing people's hands is the best solution.

True, we can only look enviously at records showing that 93 percent of Australia's citizens showed up for the 2013 elections. We haven't seen numbers like that in the USA since ... well, never.

But a better idea here at home might be a multi-faceted approach, combining a rigorous civics education at all levels in our public schools with a modest monetary incentive for each vote - say, a $10 tax rebate - to create an informed, motivated electorate.

Coupled with a policy of automatically registering all citizens at age 18 - a measure passed by the Legislature but vetoed by Gov. Christie - and extending vote-by-mail programs, these strategies hold out the hope for a more robust participation in elections to come.

Meanwhile, much appreciation to newly installed state Sen. Singleton for moving the conversation along.

Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion. Follow on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook.

The victim survived the attack. The suspect appeared in court Wednesday

A Trenton man accused of stabbing and severely wounding his friend will be released from jail pending trial.

Kwami K. McDonald, 48, is accused of getting into a fight in his friend's Perry Street apartment on Dec. 27. A judge released him following a court hearing Wednesday.

McDonald and the alleged victim had been fighting several days before the incident over money, Mercer County Assistant Prosecutor Michelle Gasparian said Wednesday during a detention hearing.

The night of the crime, the friend, his girlfriend, McDonald, and another person -- who is now a witness -- were all drinking together when McDonald and the victim started brawling, prosecutors said.

They exchanged blows until the friend was knocked to the ground, they said. McDonald then allegedly pulled a jagged knife from his backpack and stabbed the victim multiple times in the lower half of his body, Gasparian said.

When police arrived the stabbed man was not breathing, and was rushed to the hospital for emergency surgery, authorities said. 

Police brought McDonald in for questioning and he told officers, "I'm no murderer,'" the prosecutor said. Some blood can be seen on his clothing during the recorded interview, Gasparian said. 

But, defense attorney Nicole Carlo in court Wednesday presented a different version of the night's events. She told the court McDonald said he got blood on his clothing while he was trying to break up the fight. Carlo presented the alternative that one of the others involved stabbed the victim during the fight.

A pair of blood soaked jeans were also found at the crime scene it is believed that whoever was wearing those jeans is the person who committed the crime.

"This is a question of whodunit, and there are two competing theories," Mercer County Superior Court Judge Ronald Susswein said.

Susswein ordered McDonald be released from jail on monitoring conditions and home detention. He is ordered to have no contact with the victim or witnesses, and is barred from returning to the location of the incident. 

"I don't think the public safety will be at risk releasing him on these conditons," Susswein said. 

Olivia Rizzo may be reached at orizzo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @LivRizz. Find NJ.com on Facebook

The highways and bi-ways and everything in-between in the Garden State.

When I first got my driver's license -- back in 19 mumble, mumble -- there was no Global Positioning System. There also weren't smart phones, let alone apps that told you how to get somewhere or how to avoid traffic jams.

We relied solely on our memories and, of course, maps. Not all that long ago, I pulled out a map when one of my children asked how to get somewhere. As I unfolded it, I was met with a blank stare; it was a foreign sight to my millennial. I imagine I'd get the same reaction if I leafed through a TV guide while sitting in front of our flat screen.

I like maps. And, as someone who has charted many trips with the help of Rand McNally, I've wondered about the labeling of roadways.

Matt Soniak offered some explanation on mentalfloss.com.

Soniak writes about science, history, etymology and Bruce Springsteen for both the website and the print magazine. His work has appeared in print and online for Men's Health, Scientific American, The Atlantic, and Philly.com.

According to Soniak, "roads" run between two distant points -- two towns, for example. In those towns, you'll find "streets," lined with houses and other buildings.

An "avenue" is traditionally a straight road with a line of trees or shrubs running along each side; a "boulevard" is usually a widened, multi-lane street with a median and landscaping between the curbs and sidewalks on either side.

A "court?" A short street that ends as a cul de sac. "Drive" can be short for "driveway," a private road for local access to one, or a small group of structures. Other times it refers to meandering, rather than straight, roads and highways.

A "lane" is a narrow road or street usually lacking a shoulder or a median, while a "way" is a minor street off a road in a town.

MORE: Vintage photos around New Jersey

For larger thoroughfares, an "expressway" is a divided highway meant for high-speed traffic. A "freeway" is a road designed for safe high-speed traffic by the elimination of intersections at the same grade or level. A "highway" is a main road intended for travel between destinations like cities and towns.

"Routes" can be interstate highways, designated by "U.S." as in U.S. Route 1 or county routes, also referred to as "state secondary routes."

I grew up on Chimes Terrace; I have no idea what that means.

Here's a gallery of New Jersey streets and roads. And here are links to similar galleries from the past.

Vintage photos of streets and roads in N.J.

Vintage photos of street scenes in N.J.

Vintage photos of New Jersey street scenes

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

Crimes and incidents reported to the Hamilton police department

HAMILTON 

Dec. 14 - Criminal Mischief - 100 block Cooney Ave.
Dec. 14 - Criminal Mischief - 300 block Sloan Ave.
Dec. 14 - Criminal Mischief - 100 block Redfern St.
Dec. 14 - Theft - 3400 block Quakerbridge Rd.
Dec. 14 - Theft - Perilli Dr.
Dec. 14 - Theft - 2100 block Rt. 33 Hwy.
Dec. 14 - Shoplifter - 500 block Marketplace Blvd.
Dec. 14 - Shoplifter - (2) 1700 block Nottingham Way

Dec. 15 - Burglary - 300 block Tindall Ave.

Dec. 16 - Theft - 700 block Silver Ct.
Dec. 16 - Burglary to auto - 200 block Lowell Ave.
Dec. 16 - Burglary to auto - 1000 block Whitehorse/Merc. Rd.
Dec. 16 - Burglary to auto - 200 block Gibbs Ave.
Dec. 16 - Shoplifter - 1500 block E. State St.

Dec. 17 - Criminal Mischief - Rosalia Ave./Nottingham Way
Dec. 17 - Criminal Mischief - 1300 block Elizabeth Brom. Ave.
Dec. 17 - Theft - 100 block Camp Ave.
Dec. 17 - Theft - E. Tar Heels Rd.
Dec. 17 - Theft - 1200 block Rt. 33 Hwy.
Dec. 17 - Burglary to auto - 200 block Lowell Ave.
Dec. 17 - Burglary to auto - 1400 block Hamilton Ave.
Dec. 17 - Shoplifter - 1700 block Nottingham Way

Dec. 18 - Theft - Chickadee Way
Dec. 18 - Theft - 100 block Miles Ave
Dec. 18 - Theft - 3800 block Quakerbridge Rd.
Dec. 18 - Theft - 700 block S. Olden Ave.
Dec. 18 - Theft - 1300 block Hamilton Ave.
Dec. 18 - Theft - 2400 block Kuser Rd.
Dec. 18 - Theft - 1100 block Deutz Ave.
Dec. 18 - Theft - 1200 block Hamilton Ave.
Dec. 18 - Theft - 900 block Rt. 33 Hwy.
Dec. 18 - Theft - 1700 block Nottingham Way
Dec. 18 - Burglary to auto - Redfern St.
Dec. 18 - Burglary - Oxcart Lane
Dec. 18 - Shoplifter - 1000 block Whitehorse/Merc. Rd.
Dec. 18 - Shoplifter - 1700 block Nottingham Way
Dec. 18 - Shoplifter - 400 block Marketplace Blvd.

Dec. 19 - CriminalMischief - Macon Dr.
Dec. 19 - Criminal Mischief - Englewood Blvd.
Dec. 19 - Criminal Mischief - 200 block Bergen St.
Dec. 19 - Theft - Quincy Ave.
Dec. 19 - Theft - 1500 block S. Olden Ave.
Dec. 19 - Burglary to auto - Reed Ave.
Dec. 19 - Shoplifter - 2100 block S. Broad St.
Dec. 19 - Shoplifter - 1900 block Greenwood Ave.
Dec. 19 - Shoplifter = 400 block Marketplace Blvd.

Dec. 20 - Criminal Mischief - Emanuel St.
Dec. 20 - Theft - 100 block Joni Ave.
Dec. 20 - Theft - 1900 block Klockner Rd.
Dec. 20 - Theft - Mark Twain Dr.
Dec. 20 - Theft - 400 block Marketplace Blvd.
Dec. 20 - Burglary to auto - 100 block Richland Ave.
Dec. 20 - Robbery - 1100 block S. Olden Ave.
Dec. 20 - Shoplifter - 400 block Marketplace Blvd.
Dec. 20 - Shoplifter - 2400 block S. Broad St.
Dec. 20 - Shoplifter - 2000 block Nottingham Way

Dec. 21 - Criminal Mischief - 200 block E. Franklin St.
Dec. 21 - Theft/Auto - 200 block Samdin Blvd.
Dec. 21 - Theft - Benton Rd.
Dec. 21 - Theft - 3100 block Quakerbridge Rd.
Dec. 21 - Theft - 1900 block Nottingham Way
Dec. 21 - Theft - 1600 block Klockner Rd.
Dec. 21 - Burglary to auto - 300 block Rt. 33 Hwy.
Dec. 21 - Burglary - Stratton Dr.
Dec. 21 - Burglary - 300 block Tindall Ave.
Dec. 21 - Shoplifter - 400 block Marketplace Blvd.

Dec. 22 - Criminal Mischief - Bradford Ave.
Dec. 22 - Theft/Auto - 100 block Thropp Ave.
Dec. 22 - Theft/Auto - 600 block Arena Dr.
Dec. 22 - Theft - 2900 block E. State St. Ext.
Dec. 22 - Theft - 200 block Harcourt Dr.
Dec. 22 - Theft - 3800 block Quakerbridge Rd.
Dec. 22 - Burglary to auto - 200 block Parkinson Ave.
Dec. 22 - Burglary to auto - Miles Ave.
Dec. 22 - Burglary to auto - 600 block McClellan Ave.
Dec. 22 - Burglary - 1100 block Nottingham Way
Dec. 22 - Shoplifter - 700 block Marketplace Blvd.

Dec. 23 - Criminal Mischief - 100 block Alberta Ave.
Dec. 23 - Theft/Auto - 200 block Park Lane
Dec. 23 - Theft - 600 block Rt. 130 Hwy.
Dec. 23 - Burglary to auto - 1000 block Whitehorse/Merc. Rd.
Dec. 23 - Robbery - 1700 block Greenwood Ave.
Dec. 23 - Robbery - 1900 block Greenwood Ave.
Dec. 23 - Shoplifter - 1900 block Greenwood Ave.

Dec. 24 - Theft - Lake Ave.
Dec. 24 - Burglary to auto attempted - Tilia Ct.
Dec. 24 - Burglary - Walt Whitman Way
Dec. 24 - Burglary - 300 block D'Arcy Ave.
Dec. 24 - Shoplifter - 700 block Marketplace Blvd.
Dec. 24 - Shoplifter - 2000 block Nottingham Way

Dec. 25 - Theft - Merrick Rd.
Dec. 25 - Burglary to auto - Miry Brook Rd.

Dec. 26 - Theft - Samdin Blvd.
Dec. 26 - Burglary to auto - 200 block Whitehead Rd.
Dec. 26 - Burglary - Park Lane
Dec. 26 - Shoplifter - 400 block Marketplace Blvd.
Dec. 26 - Shoplifter - 2400 block S. Broad St.

Dec. 27 - Criminal Mischief - Churchill Ave.
Dec. 27 - Criminal Mischief - Aspen Ct.
Dec. 27 - Theft/Auto - 900 block Rt. 33 Hwy.
Dec. 27 - Theft - 100 block Kino Blvd.
Dec. 27 - Theft - 700 block Marketplace Blvd.
Dec. 27 - Burglary to auto - 2700 block S. Broad St.
Dec. 27 - Burglary to auto - 700 block Fletcher Ave.
Dec. 27 - Burglary - 500 block Whitehead Rd.
Dec. 27 - Shoplifter - 1900 block Greenwood Ave.
Dec. 27 - Shoplifter - 400 block Marketplace Blvd.

Dec. 28 - Theft - 400 block Norway Ave.
Dec. 28 - Theft - 500 block Marketplace Blvd.
Dec. 28 - Theft - 1900 block Nottingham Way
Dec. 28 - Burglary to auto - 100 block Bonnie Ave.
Dec. 28 - Burglary to autoo - 300 block Rt. 33 Hwy.
Dec. 28 - Burglary - 900 block Norway Ave.
Dec. 28 - Robbery - Redfern St./Scully Ave.
Dec. 28 - Shoplifter - 700 block Marketplace Blvd.

Dec. 29 - Theft - Yardville/Allentown Rd.
Dec. 29 - Theft - Shady Lane
Dec. 29 - Theft - 300 block Birch St.
Dec. 29 - Shoplifter - 1000 block Whitehorse/Merc. Rd.
Dec. 29 - Shoplifter - 400 block Marketplace Blvd.

Dec. 30 - Theft/Auto - 2300 block S. Broad St.
Dec. 30 - Theft - 1000 block Whitehorse/Merc. Rd.
Dec. 30 - Burglary to auto - 100 block Rt. 206 Hwy.
Dec. 30 - Burglary to auto - 1000 block Whitehorse/Merc. Rd.
Dec. 30 - Burglary - 100 block Johnston Ave.

Dec. 31 - Criminal Mischief - Winslow Ave./Elmore Ave.
Dec. 31 - Criminal Mischief - 100 block Stenton Ct.
Dec. 31 - Criminal Mischief - 100 block Atlantic Ave.
Dec. 31 - Burglary to auto - 1000 block Whitehorse/Merc. Rd.
Dec. 31 - Burglary - 100 block Atlantic Ave.

Jan. 1 - Criminal Mischief - 1000 block William Valley St.
Jan. 1 - Criminal Mischief - 100 block Morton Ave.
Jan. 1 - Theft - 100 block Longwood Dr.

Jan. 2 - Theft - 200 block Fetter Ave.
Jan. 2 - Burglary to auto - 200 block Tindall Ave.
Jan. 2 - Burglary to auto - 300 block Rt. 33 Hwy.

Jan. 3 - Criminal Mischief - 1300 block Elizabeth Bromley Ave.
Jan. 3 - Theft - 600 block Berg Ave.
Jan. 3 - Theft - 1800 block Kuser Rd.
Jan. 3 - Burglary to auto - 700 block Rt. 33 Hwy.
Jan. 3 - Burglary to auto - 300 block Connecticut Ave.
Jan. 3 - Burglary to auto - 3100 block Quakerbridge Ave.
Jan. 3 - Robbery - 1100 block S. Olden Ave.
Jan. 3 - Shoplifter - 1700 block Nottingham Way

Jan. 4 - Burglary - 100 block Parker Pl.
Jan. 4 - Robbery - 500 block Lalor St.
Jan. 4 - Robbery - 1500 block S. Olden Ave.

Jan. 5 - Theft/Auto - Clover Ave.
Jan. 5 - Theft - 1300 block Deutz Ave.
Jan. 5 - Shoplifter - 1200 block Rt. 33 Hwy.

Jan. 7 - Theft - 1100 block S. Olden Ave.
Jan. 7 - Theft - 300 block Marketplace Blvd.

A viral photo spurred a stranger from Indiana to donate a kidney to this Lawrence Township man.

It's billed as the place where dreams come true, and for one New Jersey man searching for a much-needed donation, a vacation to Disney proved to bring a little life-saving magic.

Robert Leibowitz, a 60-year-old Lawrence Township man with chronic kidney disease, took a trip last August with his five kids to the Magic Kingdom in Florida. With the help of his daughter, the single dad crafted a T-shirt advertising that he was in need of a kidney, his blood type, and a phone number to reach him. He wore it around the park every day during their vacation, he said.

Roco and Juan Sandoval, a couple celebrating a birthday at Magic Kingdom, snapped a picture and asked Leibowitz if they could share it on social media. He happily obliged, he told NJ Advance Media.

"All the sudden I had 300 texts, calls and Facebook messages," Leibowitz said. "By the end of the day (the photo) had been shared like, 30,000 times."

A few days later, Indiana resident Richie Sully saw the post while he was giving blood. A nurse friend who was aiding in Houston's hurricane relief sent him the post and urged him to see if he was a match.

"I knew I was O positive, because I had just given blood, and I saw he was looking for someone O positive," Sully, 39, said. "I was reading that he was this single father of five and I thought about my two daughters, and my own dad's health problems." He left a message for Leibowitz, not sure if the New Jersey man had already found a donor.

In the weeks after it was posted, the photo reached 90,000 shares and Leibowitz said more than 50 people applied to donate their kidneys. 

But the voicemail Sully left struck Leibowitz, he said.

"He seemed so positive and he was very proactive," Leibowitz said. "I didn't want anyone to feel like they were pressured into it. But, he just wanted to help."

Leibowitz has had complications with his kidneys since he was 12 years old and has needed a donor for years. He's been able to live with frequent dialysis treatments, but no one in his family was a match, he said. His son also had to have a kidney removed as an infant.

"It's very hard to find a live donor," Leibowitz said. 

In Indiana, Sully completed preliminary questionnaires and medical tests, cut out junk food and lost 30 pounds in the weeks of waiting to hear if he'd be a match -- healthier patients are better matches, he said.

Finally, after weeks of uncertainty, Sully got a call that he was Leibowitz's match.

"I was on NJ transit coming back from New York when he called me," Leibowitz said. "He said, 'we're ready to rock,' and I immediately called my kids and we just all broke down."

In early December, Sully traveled to New York City, where the operation will take place, for the first round of pre-surgical testing and mandatory counseling to prepare him for the operation. Because he'll have to make three trips for operation prep, Sully started a crowdfunding page he said he hopes will just cover the costs of traveling to and staying in New York.

The two recently met in-person for the first time after months of correspondence. They ate sushi, and Leibowitz showed Sully around the city.

"I really don't see it as that big of a deal for me to do this," Sully, who was on an Amtrak train from Indiana to New York City for his second in-person round of testing and pre-operation prep, said in a phone interview Wednesday.

"So much had to happen for this to work, you know? He had to wear the shirt, Roco had to take that picture, (my friend) had to send it to me," he said. "I'm hoping it's going to give courage to people who were considering donating. It's about saving lives."

The donation operation will take place next week, months after the Disney trip and posted photo. 

"You know, I kind of did it out of desperation, but it worked," Leibowitz said. "I really wanted those 25 to 30 years left with my kids."

Paige Gross may be reached at pgross@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @By_paigegross. Find NJ.com on Facebook. 

Two new teams enter this week's girls basketball Top 20.

Gov.-elect Phil Murphy has said he will halt the controversial bear hunt supported by Gov. Christie

Gov.-elect Phil Murphy's plan to halt the bear hunt could double the bear population by 2022, according to a report from state wildlife officials.

A status report on the state's 2015 bear management policy was finalized Jan. 4 and provided Thursday to NJ Advance Media, five days before Murphy will be sworn in as governor.

"The removal of hunting as a management tool will quickly allow the population to rebound to unacceptable levels," concluded the 12-page report from the state Division of Fish and Wildlife.

Bear hunt protesters gather across the street from a check station in Fredon, Dec. 9, 2017Rob Jennings / NJ Advance Media for NJ.com 

Outgoing Gov. Chris Christie supported the bear hunt and hunts were held the past eight years, while Murphy has said he will order a moratorium pending additional research into non-lethal alternatives.

The report, which does not mention Murphy, argues that hunting is essential. It disputes the potential effectiveness of alternatives, such as fertility control and relocating bears.

The report also notes that in the four-year period starting in 2006, when no bear hunting occurred under former Gov. Jon Corzine, both the bear population and bear complaints increased.

"Based on data from the 2006 to 2010 period with no hunting seasons, it is predicted that the current bear population of 2,500 will potentially double by 2022 if the regulated hunt was removed as a management tool," according to the report written in 2017.

A spokesman for Murphy declined comment. 

N.J. Sierra Club Director Jeff Tittel, a critic of the bear hunt, said the state needs to step up its efforts aimed at encouraging residents in bear-populated areas to secure their garbage, among other strategies.

"We have a governor coming in who's not going to have a hunt next year. Let's put together a comprehensive plan," Tittel said.

The report asserts that the state already has such a plan, and efforts to manage the population other than hunting have included educational programs presented to more than 15,000 people in 19 counties.

Bear hunting in N.J. resumed in 2003, following a moratorium of more than three decades as the population neared extinction, and is a volatile issue pitting hunters against animal rights activists.

City College of New York professor Bill Crain has drawn widespread attention for his recurring civil disobedience arrests during the hunt and is currently serving a 15-day jail sentence in Sussex County.

Critics of the hunt have charged that the state has underestimated the impact of the annual hunts under Christie. A record 636 bears were killed in 2016 and, in December, the total number killed in the 10 annual hunts since in 2003 surpassed 4,000.

While bears have been seen throughout the state, the population is heavily concentrated in northwestern N.J. The 2017 hunt took place in eight northern counties, with more than half of the 409 bears that were killed hunted in Sussex County. 

Officials said in December, the number of black bears involved in nuisance-type incidents is down by more than half this year, and the number of bear sightings was significantly down as well.

The state wildlife report attributes a decline in bear damage and nuisance reports to the regular hunts, and maintains that the bear population is strong.

Rob Jennings may be reached at rjennings@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @RobJenningsNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook

William Arrison graduated from Nottingham High School in 2007 Watch video

A Hamilton native serving with the U.S. Coast Guard in San Diego rescued a family of five and their two large dogs from a rooftop during the deadly mudslides in Santa Barbara, Calif. that have killed 17 people.

The Coast Guard posted footage of specialists William Arrison and Eric Custer's Tuesday evening rescue online. Arrison, an aviation survival technician 3 in the Guard, is a 2007 graduate of Nottingham High School, where he was a standout swimmer.

William Arrison, file photo 

When the San Diego-based rescue swimmers got back to their base late Tuesday, after flying all day in the Santa Barbara area making rescues, a local television station was waiting.

The duo described rescuing the family, a mother, father and three young kids - including a newborn,

"You just feel this quick connection, of like, on my God, this person's life is in my hands right now," Arrison told ABC 10 news. "It's pretty wild."

"I am just super proud of what we did tonight," Custer said.

In October 2015, Arrison rescued a man who fell off a Jet Ski in the storm-churned ocean off Manasquan. That rescue made news because he was lowered from a helicopter being piloted by another Hamilton native - Lt. Cmdr. Edward DiPierro, a 1999 Steinert grad.

Arrison transferred to San Diego last summer from the Coast Guard's Atlantic City station, his family said.

#USCG crews have rescued more than 20 injured or stranded people from the Santa Barbara #mudslides. Check out video of a @USCGPacificSW Jayhawk crew working with Santa Barbara County Fire Department to rescue a family of 5, including a newborn, 7 yr old, 3 yr old & their two dogs pic.twitter.com/lJrRoaaH4C

-- U.S. Coast Guard (@USCG) January 10, 2018

Kevin Shea may be reached at kshea@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter@kevintshea. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Mark Holmes, 56, pleaded guilty Tuesday to second-degree theft by unlawful taking and faces five years in state prison when he appears for sentencing in April.

The former mayor and councilman of Lawrence Township has admitted to stealing thousands of dollars for unapproved salary increases while serving as the executive director of Asbury Park Housing Authority. 

Mark Holmes, 56, pleaded guilty to second-degree theft by unlawful taking and faces five years in state prison when he appears for sentencing before Monmouth County Superior Court Judge John Tassini on April 6, Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher Gramiccioni announced in a press release Wednesday.

Holmes was indicted in December 2015 on 38 counts of official misconduct and other offenses. He was arrested at his Lawrence home in 2013 but was released from jail after posting $70,000 bail. 

Holmes admitted Tuesday to stealing more than $90,000 by using state grant money intended to help low-income residents of Asbury Park to give himself a salary increase that wasn't approved by the agency's board between 2008 and 2011. 

Before becoming the executive director, Holmes served as the agency's deputy director. Prior to taking over as executive director, Holmes applied for -- and received -- a $99,897 grant from the state Department of Labor and Workforce Development. The money was intended to be spent on training in computers and other skills for residents who qualified for public housing in Asbury Park.

An investigation by the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office's financial crimes and public corruption bureau found that between November 2008 and August 2009 Holmes transferred $75,721 of the grant into the general operating fund for the housing authority and then moved the money into his own accounts, authorities said.

Holmes created the APHA Community Development Corporation, where he funneled $58,000 to give himself a $50,000 salary increase without board approval, Gramiccioni said.

The prosecutor's office statement said the investigation found that Holmes opened credit cards in the name of the APHA and the APHA Community Development Corporation and used the cards for personal expenses. He had the bills go directly to his home and accrued more than $30,000 in debt on the cards.

Holmes, who went on more than 30 business trips across the country, also received $22,000 in per diem payments from the authority for meals while on business trips. Even though he had money for the meals, Holmes filed them in his expense reports and then collected the money, Gramiccioni said.

"Holmes also used APHA funds for personal expenditures while on these trips, including spa treatments, hotel in-room movies, and gentlemen's clubs," Gramiccioni said in the press release. "On at least three occasions, he used APHA funds to pay for stretch limousine service to transport him and his family to and from the airport."

Holmes used more than $13,000 of APHA funds for unauthorized meal expenses in the Asbury Park and Lawrenceville areas, according to Gramiccioni.

Holmes' attorney, Mark Davis, called those accusations "unfounded and unproven." 

He said his client admitted to padding his salary but that "all those other things about trips and expenses ... those are still untrue allegations." 

As part of a plea agreement, Holmes was ordered to pay $35,000 in restitution and must surrender his pension. He will also not be allowed to serve any public jobs in New Jersey. 

"Everyone, including public officials, must be held accountable when they break the law. Public service is a privilege and requires a level of trust by our constituents -- a trust that Mr. Holmes exploited," Gramiccioni said.

Holmes was on the Lawrence zoning board for three years in the 1990s and was elected to council in 1997.

He was the executive director of the East Orange Housing Authority until 2007, when he resigned after John Hansbury, the Mercer County Republican chairman at the time, filed a complaint with the federal government saying Holmes had violated the Hatch Act. The federal law prohibits state, county or municipal employees who are involved with federal loans or grants from running as a partisan candidate.

In 2004 the Lawrence council, which selects the mayor from among its members, gave Holmes the job, making him the township's first black mayor.

He served as mayor again in 2008 but quit the council in December of that year, saying his new position as executive director of the Asbury Park Housing Authority had created a conflict. Taking the job meant he would not be able to run for re-election to council, he said at the time.

Alex Napoliello may be reached at anapoliello@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @alexnapoNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

The Sam's Club closures were part of a nationwide shutdown

At least three Sam's Club stores in New Jersey closed abruptly Thursday -- as part of 63 closures nationwide -- surprising customers and employees who arrived to find the doors locked.

The closures and layoffs come on the same day Walmart -- the parent company of Sam's Club -- announced that it would increase wages for its U.S. workers, including its Sam's Club, supply chain, e-commerce and Home Office hourly associates.

The closures affect thousands of employees nationwide.

The three stores in New Jersey shuttered are in Mount Olive, Linden and West Windsor. There are at least seven Sam's Club locations in the state.

On Twitter, Sam's Club issued a statement saying, "After a thorough review of our existing portfolio, we've decided to close a series of clubs and better align our locations with our strategy. Closing clubs is never easy and we're committed to working with impacted members and associates through this transition."

Many workers learned that their store would be closing only after showing up and seeing locked doors and a notice of the closure.

The Union County Freeholder Board announced Thursday afternoon that its social service and re-employment agencies is "offering assistance to any Union County resident who was laid off by today's Sam's Club Store closings."

"We offer our sympathies to our residents who were laid off by this abrupt and unexpected closing," said Union County Freeholder Chairman Sergio Granados and county Freeholder Christopher Hudak, a resident of Linden, in a joint statement. "We would like these former employees to know that the County stands prepared to immediately assist with employment services through our various agencies, and we urge all to take advantage of them."

The mayor of Linden, Derek Armstead, said that the city would be hosting a jobs fair Jan. 22 through the Linden First employment program. The fair will be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m at the Multi Purpose Center, 1025 John St. 

According to the statement, as many as 200 full-time and part-time employees were laid off from the closure in Linden alone.

Spencer Kent may be reached at skent@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @SpencerMKent. Find the Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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

The man's defense attorney said the arrest had to do with the video - not the small amount of marijuana police say they found

State police officers found a loaded gun in the trunk of a 20-year-old's car after they pulled him over for erratic driving on South Broad Street in Trenton recently.

Kenneth Holloway Jr., of Trenton was weaving in and out of traffic and driving on the opposite side of the road on Jan. 3.

In Mercer County Superior Court Wednesday, Deputy Attorney General Sarah Miller said the officers smelled raw marijuana coming from Holloway's car. And when they searched the trunk, they discovered a loaded handgun, and less than 50 grams of marijuana, she said.

Defense Attorney Deirdre Smith, though, said the stop was all about a rap video - not a small amount of marijuana.

Smith said Holloway had recently appeared in a rap video that featured guns, and the state police recently had a meeting about the video.

State police spokesman Sgt. Jeffery Flynn said the agency doesn't actively search for video content that may contain illegal activity, but if they find video material in an investigations they will investigate it.

Rap music video leads to 18-year-old's gun arrest

Smith also argued that her clients appearance in the rap video was protected under the First Amendment and there was no way to know if the gun in the music video was real.

Miller countered that that the manner that Holloway is depicted using the gun in the music video could be categorized as threatening. 

"If I watch the Godfather, which appears to be on every other night, is that a threat?" Mercer County Superior Court Judge Ronald Susswein said at the detention hearing for Holloway.

The judge ruled the music video was irrelevant to the hearing and released Holloway on monitoring conditions, citing his lack of previous criminal record.

Another arrest this month, of an 18-year-old, also in Trenton, had connections to a rap video.

Olivia Rizzo may be reached at orizzo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @LivRizz. Find NJ.com on Facebook

The man who allegedly used a BB gun to rob a deli in Trenton was caught by police.

A Trenton man was arrested Wednesday after he held a deli employee at gunpoint and demanded cash, police said. 

Zuri Shy, 28, allegedly entered the Lucky Star Deli on the 200 block of Tyler Street around 6:30 Wednesday, Lt. Steve Varn said. Shy allegedly held a weapon up to an employee and demanded cash.

Zuri Shy, 28Mercer County Prosecutor's Office 

When Shy exited the building, Varn said, another deli employee called the police and ran after him. 

The employee was able to point officers toward Shy, and they took him into custody after a brief struggle near the intersection of Hamilton Avenue and Hudson Street, police said. 

Varn said Shy was arrested while wearing a black face mask and in possession of a weapon, which after investigation, was revealed to be a BB gun. 

Police collected the weapon and cash from the incident, and arrested Shy on weapons and robbery charges, officials said. 

Detectives with the Street Crime Unit are investigating the incident. 

A phone call to the Lucky Star Deli was not returned Wednesday. 

Paige Gross may be reached at pgross@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @By_paigegross. Find NJ.com on Facebook. 

Former long-time assistant John Hangey has Rider nationally ranked

LAWRENCE -- John Hangey is still a gym rat. Or, given his sport, a mat rat. He has been one since the age of four, though admittedly reluctant in his first match at a junior high gym in Quakertown, Pa.

"I cried going out to the mat,'' he said, "I cried during the match and was crying walking off. I never wanted to wrestle again, even though I pinned the kid. I must have fallen on top of him the right way or something like that."

John Hangey

Something like that led to something like this: A Pennsylvania Class AAA high school state champion as a senior, fourth place in the NCAA Nationals as a senior at Rider, and now, the head coach at his alma mater with a team ranked 21st in the country.

With losses only to fourth-ranked Missouri and No. 7 Iowa, the Broncs look to raise their record to 6-2 against Princeton; Saturday at 1 p.m. here.

Though winless, Princeton's losses have come to No. 22 Purdue, No. 9 Virginia Tech, No. 8 Michigan, No. 6 Lehigh and No. 2 Ohio State.

"It should be one heck of a match,'' Hangey said. "Princeton is a very good team right now, and our kids wrestled extremely well in Florida. And, knock on wood, we're healthy.''

The team competed in the South Beach Duals late last month, where they went against Missouri and a tough North Dakota State team. Rider's wins include Iowa State, Penn, and Franklin & Marshall, and its national ranking has it above the likes of Oklahoma, Purdue, Carolina and Navy.

Not bad for a rookie coach. At least technically.

Hangey was Gary Taylor's assistant since 2000, having been a big part of Taylor retiring as the country's fourth all-time winningest coach in D1. Taylor's legacy - he coached here 39 seasons - will be acknowledged prior to the match when a new mat will be unveiled bearing his name.

Following a few years as a part-time assistant here, Hangey went on to be head coach at Bucknell a few years before returning to become this program's first full-time assistant.

Hangey, second from right, at a recent match 

Since taking over July 1, full-time now has new meaning.

"This is drastically different from when I first got the Bucknell job,'' Hangey said. "I was very young, 27 I think, and the program was in complete disarray. It was at rock bottom. Here, I know the lay of the land, I had the respect of the kids, of the people above me. The program is obviously in good shape. I'm trying to figure out how to add pieces to the pile, so to speak, to make the program even better.''

That includes the 47-year-old father of two getting down and gritty with the upper weights. Weighing 220, Hangey can still roll around when necessary, but mostly he's teaching and tweaking.

"I lace 'em up every day,'' he said with a smile. "It's definitely my therapy. It's the highlight of my day.''

His son, 11, enjoys the sport - although not initially like his father. His daughter, 17, plays high school volleyball in South Jersey. Hangey met his wife Kimberly when they were students at Rider.

"The Rider Pub,'' Hangey said about their first encounter. "I called her the next day.''

They will celebrate their 21st wedding anniversary this summer.

"Best decision I ever made,'' the husband said.

A history major, Hangey eventually realized he was not cut out for being a classroom teacher, so he went for his Masters - Human Services Administration - a degree that would allow him to coach on the collegiate level.

So far so good.

"I have confidence in my kids,' Hangey said. "My expectations for them are to be their best, in that I want it more for them than anybody else in the world. They get what they want and everyone benefits. I am so much in it for the kids; absolute dedication to their success and the program's success.

"I think that's most important,'' he noted. "That's what I want them to think about me and what I bring to the table.''

Entering his final year in high school, Hangey had never made it out of districts. But he reaped what he sowed, and as a senior was 35-2.

"Wrestlers are hard to describe,'' he offered. "They are the most pleasant people, but you just know in the back of your head you don't wanna' mess with any of them.''

They're gym rats. Mat rats. Right through the tears.

Follow NJ.com on Twitter @njdotcom. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Isiah Greene accused of gunning down Gurley on Rossell Avenue inside the Donnelly Homes housing complex.

A Trenton man charged with shooting Quaadir "Ace" Gurley in 2013 is facing the start of his third trial. 

Isiah Greene, 24, is accused of gunning down Gurley on Rossell Avenue inside the Donnelly Homes housing complex.

Greene has had two trials end in hung juries when jurors unable to reach a unanimous verdict.

Quaadir Gurley (left) and with his children. (Family photo)

The previous trials brought in blood evidence, surveillance footage and witness testimonies from two women who were in the area of the housing complex when Gurley was killed.

Gurley, who was killed at the age of 24, had survived two previous shootings, one in February 2012 behind the Rowan Towers apartment complex on West State Street. The second, in August 2012 on North Hermitage Avenue, he was shot at nine times, but not hit.

Jury selection for the new trial began Wednesday and opening statements are expected to take place next week.

Olivia Rizzo may be reached at orizzo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @LivRizz. Find NJ.com on Facebook

Last month, the New Jersey State House Commission voted 7-0 to approve building two new state government buildings in Trenton at an estimated cost of $250 million.

OK, let's see a show of hands: How many of you have ever heard of the New Jersey State House Commission? All right, both of you can put your hands down now.

Like so many obscure government panels, this commission wields tremendous power over the spending of millions of dollars of taxpayer money.

Last month, the commission voted 7-0 to approve building two new state government buildings in Trenton to house the Health, Agriculture and Taxation departments and raze the current structures.

The tab: About $250 million. That's no small amount of money to pump into Trenton.

However, no representatives from the city were part of the commission making a decision that will have a far-reaching impact on the city's future.

Instead, you have a panel that is looking out for the state's interest and not necessarily the city's. The governor basically controls three of the seven slots on the board, with remaining appointments made up of elected officials from both parties chosen by the Assembly and Senate leadership.

Opponents sue to block Christie from borrowing $250M

That lack of representation from the city was evident when the commission voted on Dec. 7 to approve Gov. Chris Christie's vision for remaking the city's infrastructure despite outspoken opposition from local residents and only lukewarm support from the mayor.

It seems that no matter who spoke at the hearing, the result was preordained.

Most of the four legislators who sat on the committee weren't in the room to hear the bulk of the testimony, according to Matt Arco, a reporter for NJ Advance Media who covered the meeting. Either they got up to take calls or talk in the hallway.

At one point, a man was interrupted mid-testimony because three of the commission members were away at the same time, which meant they didn't have a quorum.

The proposal under consideration called for demolishing three of the state's aging buildings in downtown Trenton and replacing them with two new structures in other locations of the city.

That plan reflected Gov. Chris Christie's goal of shrinking state jobs and the facilities to house them and at the same time open more space for private development in Trenton.

That certainly is a worthy goal, but it overlooked other key factors that concerned city residents were quick to point out.

Opponents say the location and building plans are bad for two reasons. They say new buildings would be outside the city's downtown business district and too far from the Trenton Transit Center. And they won't be mixed-use buildings -- which include stores, restaurants or apartments - that would encourage economic growth in the city.

Anne LaBate, a city resident and commercial real estate agent who has a keen interest in Trenton's future, was very critical of Christie's plan because it runs counter to the city's master plan of converting a sea of parking lots into clusters of high-density office, retail and housing developments.

"That's the city's plan and the state comes around with this plan and says, 'We're going to grab the key piece of that and build a same-old, same-old single-use building surrounded by surface parking,'" LaBate told NJ Advance Media. "So now you've made the thing less attractive to a developer to come in and you've also created what you don't want."

Opponents of the Christie plan make good points. There's no reason the state can't accommodate the interests of the city and still accomplish its goals.

It's too bad the powerful state commission just rubber-stamped Christie's proposal.

Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion. Follow on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook.

The NJ Advance Media wrestling staff releases its first group and conference rankings of the season

The company employs 2,400 and insures 1 million New Jersey drivers

NJM Insurance Company announced this week they've expanded into Pennsylvania starting Jan. 1 of this year.

The company, formerly known as New Jersey Manufacturers, and based in Ewing, has been in business for over 100 years in the Trenton area, and had focused on New Jersey customers.

"NJM is unique. We were founded in 1913 by policyholders for policyholders, and we have maintained a special relationship with them ever since - operating exclusively in their interests," Company President and CEO Bernie Flynn said in an announcement.

Flynn said the mutual company is "thrilled" to move into Pennsylvania and continue to serve policyholders, "not stockholders." 

The company, in the statement, said it prides itself on assisting nonprofits in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, and its policy on encouraging employees to use up to eight hours of excused time each year to volunteer at a nonprofit.

The company employs over 1,700 at its Ewing location, and over 2,400 total in New Jersey. It also has locations in Parsippany and Hammonton.

They offer vehicle, home and business insurances, and say they are the second largest of writer personal auto insurance policies - covering more than one million drivers.

Kevin Shea may be reached at kshea@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter@kevintshea. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Check out some top storylines from this week.

What is going to happen this weekend?