The delays have only just begun on the Garden State Parkway, Atlantic City Expressway and I-I95 on Friday, May 25, 2018.

If you tried to get a head start to beat the weekend Shore traffic, you weren't alone. 

Delays had already begun along the Garden State Parkway as of 2 p.m. Here's a look at the Shore-bound traffic. 

Garden State Parkway South, from the Raritan Toll Plaza: 

• Exit 98, Belmar, 28 miles, 38 minutes
• Exit 63, Long Beach, 61 miles, 1 hour 23 minutes
• Exit 117, Sandy Hook, 8 miles, 11 minutes
• Exit 38, Atlantic City, 89 miles, 1 hour 48 minutes
• Exit 28, Ocean City, 98 miles, 1 hour 57 minutes
• Exit 4, Wildwood, 122 miles, 2 hours 24 minutes

Atlantic City Expressway East: 

• Camden to Exit 63, Long Beach Island, on the Garden State Parkway, 72 miles, 1 hour 12 minutes
• Camden to Exit 38, Atlantic City, on the Garden State Parkway, 45 miles, 50 minutes
• Camden to Exit 28, Ocean City, on the Garden State Parkway, 53 miles, 1 hour 
• Camden to Exit 4, Wildwood, on the Garden State Parkway, 78 miles, 1 hour 26 minutes

I-195 East: 

• Trenton to Exit 117, Sandy Hook, on the Garden State Parkway, 55 miles, 57 minutes
  
• Trenton to Exit 98, Belmar, on the Garden State Parkway, 35 miles, 40 minutes
• Trenton to Exit 63, Long Beach Island, on the Garden State Parkway, 68 miles, 1 hour 24 minutes
• Trenton to Exit 38, Atlantic City, on the Garden State Parkway, 95 miles, 1 hour 48 minutes
• Trenton to Exit 28, Ocean City, on the Garden State Parkway, 104 miles, 2 hours
• Trenton to Exit 4, Wildwood, on the Garden State Parkway, 128 miles, 2 hours, 23 minutes

In South Jersey, I-676 eastbound, 42 southbound and US 322 eastbound were all causing various traffic jams. Closer to the Shore, 72 eastbound and 37 eastbound had delays due to heavy traffic as well. 

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The judge rejected his pleas to stay in treatment, citing his record of dealing, and sent him to prison

A heroin and cocaine dealer from Trenton who says his life has been shaped by drugs since he was 13 years old pleaded for help from a Pennsylvania judge who sent him to prison Friday.

"I'm standing here today, talking to you as a man, telling you that I need help," Dayshawn Camp told Bucks County Judge Wallace H. Bateman, Jr., according to the Bucks County District Attorney's Office.

Dayshawn Camp

Bateman rejected Camp's plea to stay in county jail to continue with drug addiction programs, and sent him to prison for two to four years for dealing in Falls, Pa. last summer.

Before getting treatment, Camp, 28, told Bateman: "My mind was always closed. I'm from Trenton, N.J., and I've been exposed to these things since I was little. I need help. I've been coming to jail since I was 13, being around drugs."

"And then you became a drug dealer," Bateman responded, the office reported.

Camp agreed, and said he was an addict too, but did not say which drug addicted him.

Camps' attorney Keith A. Williams argued that Camp had never before had drug treatment, and that the programs changed him. "The person I met back in August is not the same person who stands before you today," Williams said.

Camp's sentencing had been deferred until Friday to allow time for him to complete the drug treatment, the office said.

Bateman, though, could not get past Camp's record.

"You just keep introducing (drugs) into the community ... I just can't get past the number of felony drug offenses," the judge said.

"You're destroying people's lives when you sell it. You're destroying your own life when you use it," the judge went on, the district attorney's office said.

"It's got to stop. And doing a couple of classes and going to a rehab isn't going to stop it," Bateman said. "I don't know what to do with you but put you in prison."

Camp has several drug dealing cases pending in Mercer County, New Jersey, from arrests in May, June and August 2017. And his convictions include stints in the New Jersey state prison system from 2012 and 2014 drug charges in Trenton, records show.

Falls police busted Camp on Aug. 28, 2017, at the Ace Motel on Lincoln Highway.

Officers went to the motel to serve an arrest warrant on the the person who was renting a room and found Camp with 237 bags of heroin and over 9 grams of cocaine, Deputy District Attorney David A. Keightly, Jr. said.

Camp pleaded guilty March 6 to possession with intent to sell or deliver the drugs.

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

The public was not alerted to the escape which occurred on May 3 in Bordentown Township.

Three men who escaped from a state juvenile facility in Burlington County earlier this month were arrested in Newark this week.

Newark residents Lonell Carruthers, 22, Almuqtadir Padgett, 20, and Dyshawn Williams, 22, were wanted for a May 3 escape from the Juvenile Medium Security Facility in Bordentown. The facility is run by the state's Juvenile Justice Commission (JJC).

No public alert was made about the escape.

A spokesperson for the state Office of the Attorney General, which oversees the JJC facilities, said the escape remains under investigation and declined to comment further.

Carruthers and Williams were also wanted for a carjacking, according to a news release from Newark Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose.

Newark's Fugitive Apprehension Team, New Jersey State Police and Juvenile Justice investigators arrested Carruthers Thursday morning on the 800 block of Clinton Avenue, in the Clinton Hill area of the city. 

That same group of law enforcement then went to the 300 block of West Runyon Street and arrested Williams and Padgett.

The fugitive busts on Thursday also snared Narik Feaster, 23, of Orange, and Newark resident Jahaan Allen. Both were wanted on federal warrants for weapons offenses unrelated to the May 3 escape.

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

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Rider University, The College of New Jersey and Mercer County Community College commencement highlights

Can he get anything for all the time he spent locked up?

Students "very lovingly and very joyously" cover each other in colors Watch video

With everyone covered in colors, peoples' differences aren't as obvious.

Students at The Lawrenceville School recently celebrated Holi, a traditional Hindu festival of colors.

"In essence it's about coming together as a community, setting aside all those things which separate us, all the differences and distinctions," Vineet Chander, Hindu Religious Life Leader and Chaplain at the school said.

"And to represent this, we very lovingly and very joyously cover each other in colors."

Students at The Lawrenceville School, students are covered in powdered colors during a Holi celebration. (Michael Mancuso | NJ Advance Media)

During the brief ceremony, which included some dancing and prayers for unity and togetherness, Chander handed over a coconut with a flame on it to assisting student Harini Srinivasan who moved it through the air a few times and then cast it to the ground, where it broke into pieces.

Chander raised his arm and loudly proclaimed "Holi Hai!" and the students jumped to their feet and dashed across the field in front of Edith Memorial Chapel to reach bags of colored powder set on tables.

To the sounds of Indian music on the loudspeakers, the communal fun began. Dust from the powder quickly formed a cloud around the students as they ran in all directions, laughing and yelling, and flinging colors at their flinching friends.

The Lawrenceville School has a diverse student body, hailing from 45 countries and 33 different states this year, but when the powder was all used up, the differences in these people were not so obvious.

Holi is traditionally observed in March, but with this year's harsh winter it was decided that May was a better time to have students running around the campus in t-shirts and shorts flinging powder and squirting water at each other.

Michael Mancuso may be reached at mmancuso@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @michaelmancuso Find NJ.com on Facebook

WITH POINT TO PROVE, BALE WINS UEFA CL FOR REAL MADRID Hala Madrid! Gareth Bale had a point to prove to Zinedine Zidane. The Welsh star began the 2018 UEFA Champions League Final on the bench for Real Madrid, as Isco started the contest. But Bale came onto the pitch in the 61st minute, and immediately broke the hearts...

WITH POINT TO PROVE, BALE WINS UEFA CL FOR REAL MADRID

Hala Madrid!

Gareth Bale had a point to prove to Zinedine Zidane.

The Welsh star began the 2018 UEFA Champions League Final on the bench for Real Madrid, as Isco started the contest. But Bale came onto the pitch in the 61st minute, and immediately broke the hearts of every Liverpool fan around the globe.

Bale scored the greatest goal in the history of the competition, a bicycle kick in the 64th minute with his first touch of the game. It powered Real Madrid to a 3-1 win, for its third straight title, and fourth in five years. No team had ever won two titles in a row before this run, since the new format came into existence for the 1992-93 season.

Watch Gareth Bale's bicycle kick win the UEFA Champions League

Los Blancos now have 13 European Cups/Champions League titles.

Bale then iced the game in the 83rd minute, with his second goal. His shot from 30 yards went right through the hands of Liverpool keeper Loris Karius, who had a nightmare contest for Liverpool.

If Bale's first goal was the best ever in the competition, Real Madrid's first goal, from Karim Benzema in the 51st minute, may have been the craziest. Karius tried to roll the ball out to center back Dejan Lovren, and Benzema stuck out his boot to block the ball. The carom rolled slowly into the corner of the net, to give the champions a 1-0 lead.

While Sadio Mane had Liverpool back in the contest four minutes later, with a 55th minute header, the Reds could not overcome the two blunders from Karius, and the loss of leading scorer Mohamed Salah in the 31st minute. Salah had to leave the match, after he sprained his shoulder while falling on the ground. 

Salah got tangled with Real Madrid captain and center back Sergio Ramos, who fell on top of the Liverpool forward. It was a tough blow for Salah, the Premier League Player of the Year this season. Jurgen Klopp had to replace him with Adam Lallana, and change the way his team played. Liverpool sat deeper, allowing Real Madrid to take over the contest.

For Klopp, he has now lost six straight finals as a manager. Three of those have come in European finals: the 2013 Champions League (2-1 to Bayern Munich, as manager of Borussia Dortmund), the 2016 Europa League (3-1 to Sevilla with Liverpool), and now this one. Liverpool has just one trophy since 2006, a win in the 2012 League Cup Final by penalties over Cardiff City.

Zidane now continues to add to his amazing resume as a player and coach. He is the only coach to win three UEFA Champions League titles in a row, and now has won nine pieces of silverware since he was appointed on January 4, 2016.

The former Ballon D'Or winner (1998), and three-time FIFA World Player of the Year (1998, 2000, 2003) won the 2002 Champions League with the goal everyone had considered the best ever in the cup. Now, he has established himself as the top coach in the game as well.

Spanish sides have now won 14 of the last 15 UEFA trophies (Champions League, Europa League, Super Cup), with the Manchester United 2017 Europa League title the lone victory for a club outside of Spain.

FULHAM RETURNS TO THE PREMIER LEAGUE

Led by Ryan Sessegnon, the EFL Championship Player of the Season, Fulham is finally back in the Premier League.

The Cottagers knocked off Aston Villa 1-0, in the Championship Playoff Final at Wembley Saturday, to return to the top flight after four years in the second division.

Sessegnon's beautiful assist to Tom Cairney in the 23rd minute was just enough for Fulham, which had to hold on after Denis Odoi was sent off in the 70th minute for a second bookable offense.

The win is a financial windfall for the Cottagers, who could make up to $400 million if they can avoid relegation next season. For Aston Villa, the defeat is a crushing blow. With an aging team built to get back to the Premier League, the Claret and Blue will now have to spend a third season in the EFL Championship. 

Contact Sean Miller at seanmillertrentontimes@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @TheProdigalSean His weekly podcast, Box to Box Football, can be found on iTunes here https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/box-to-box-football/id1208561351?mt=2

Food trucks fill both festival locations. Many offer special pork roll creations. Here are our favorites

Pets throughout New Jersey await adoption.

Petfinder.com, where you can find nearly a quarter of a million adoptable pets listed by more than 12,000 adoption groups, offers these seasonal tips to pet owners:

* There will be plenty of sticks and branches on the ground after winter, and they can cause choking and severe mouth injuries to dogs. If your pet likes to chew and chase, make sure to use a tennis ball, Frisbee or other toy instead of branches.

* You might be doing some spring cleaning; if a pet ingests a household cleaner, don't call a human poison control center - they won't be able to help with animals. Call your vet or the ASPCA poison control hotline, 888-426-4435.

* Dogs can get seasonal allergies just like people ... but they manifest themselves in dogs more as skin conditions than sneezing. Check with your vet for treatment options.

* Flea and tick prevention for dogs and cats should be continued year-round, but even if you take a break during winter months, make sure to apply the preventatives before the weather warms up.

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

The villain is the plastic that has been washing up on Jersey beaches at alarming - and increasing - rates, environmentalists say. The debris can choke or otherwise harm sea creatures, which eat or become entangled in the discarded waste.

It's hard not to get discouraged reading about the White House's assault on breathable air, clean drinking water and toxin-free foods.

The administration seems determined to roll back the progress of the last two or three decades, simultaneously deregulating entire industries while giving businesses a green light to pollute and despoil.

So it comes as welcome news that lawmakers in the Garden State have quietly gone about doing their part to mitigate some of the damage.

Two examples stand out. One is a unanimous vote earlier this month by Monmouth Beach officials to ban single-use plastic bags, straws and food containers, as well as Styrofoam boxes for take-out food.

The second is bill on the state level that would prohibit the sale of food and drinks in Styrofoam containers in New Jersey's public schools and public institutions of higher ed.

The common goal here: Ridding our shores and our schools of non-biodegradable products that cannot be recycled or reused.

The Monmouth Beach ordinance, which applies to local restaurants, grocers and other vendors, carries fines of up to $2,400, but Mayor Sue Howard noted that offenders would receive warnings for initial violations.

Plastic or paper? Not a choice anymore under ban

The villain is the plastic that has been washing up on Jersey beaches at alarming - and increasing - rates, environmentalists say. The debris can choke or otherwise harm sea creatures, which eat or become entangled in the discarded waste.

Several other shore communities have adopted or are considering imposing curbs on the use of disposable plastic items, which find their way into the Atlantic Ocean via storm drains, dumping or other routes.

Meanwhile, state Sens. Christopher Bateman (R-16th District) and Troy Singleton (D-7th District) are promoting a measure that would ban the use of polystyrene food containers - you know it better as Styrofoam - which have been associated with high levels of waste pollution.

The bipartisan bill was released from the Senate Environment and Energy Committee by a 5-0 vote, and now heads to the full Senate.

Singleton noted that the impetus for the measure came from students in Palmyra's Charles Street School. He lauded it as a "simple, common-sense step towards creating a more sustainable environment in New Jersey."

Additionally, the senator said, watching their idea progress from concept to law gives the youngsters a real-life civic lesson.

These bans may represent small steps in the fight against pollution, but they're cause for hope - hope that our state's policy-makers have not been swept up in the deregulatory tsunami washing over Washington.

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

Fights break out year-round, but there is something about summer that brings out the big brawls.

Gov. Chris Christie authorized a $300 million project to refurbish the Statehouse in Trenton. It began a year ago. Here's a look at where the renovation stands.

In 2017, Lyme disease was diagnosed among 5,092 state residents - the highest number in nearly 20 years, the New Jersey Department of Health reports.

The fever, headache, chills and fatigue you've been battling for weeks may not be remnants from your winter flu.

These are common symptoms of Lyme disease, which last year was diagnosed among 5,092 state residents - the highest number in nearly 20 years, the New Jersey Department of Health reports.

You may or may not experience the bulls-eye rash that's often the condition's distinctive calling card. But left untreated, Lyme disease can spread to your joints, heart and nervous system - more than enough reason to be on the look-out for the deer ticks that carry the toxin and share it with humans.

The federal Centers for Disease Control is urging local and state public-health departments to increase their efforts to combat the epidemic, with an emphasis on proper surveillance and methods to control the spread.

While tick-borne illnesses have been soaring throughout the Northeast region of the county, the Garden State, with its robust population of both deer and rodents, has particular reason to be concerned.

Lyme disease is soaring in N.J.

Warmer weather and longer summers - the result of climate change - have allowed these forms of wildlife to travel farther north, seeking out locales that were previously inhospitable.

"We have kind of a perfect storm in terms of environmental changes that make it perfect environment for ticks to thrive," says Alvaro Toledo, a Rutgers academic who studies ticks.

Morris County has the unfortunate distinction of reporting the largest number of Lyme disease diagnoses: 8,329 total cases since 2000, and 650 cases last year.

Hunterdon County follows with 6,283 cases since 2000, and 444 last year.

Mercer County is comfortably in the middle, ranking No. 10 at 2,928 cases since 2000, and 222 last year.

The bad news is that experts anticipate that the threat will increase in th months and years to come. The worse news is that there is no vaccine on the market to guard against Lyme, so it's up to state residents to learn how to protect themselves from the potentially dangerous bites.

Toledo urged people to use insect repellent, wear long sleeves and long pants, and be sure to check their bodies after they've been outdoors.

The CDC's website, www.cdc.gov/lyme/index.html, offers guidance for removing ticks promptly, and also for applying pesticides to reduce the tick habitats in your backyard.

We commend U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) and state Heath Commissioner Dr. Shereef Elnahal for organizing an event in Parsippany - coinciding with Lyme Disease Awareness Month - to discuss efforts to help stem the incidence of the illness.

The senator also was instrumental in securing additional funding in the recent federal spending package increases support for the CDC and for the National Institutes of Health, one of whose agencies conducts Lyme research.

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

About 15 percent of freshmen at New Jersey's four-year colleges don't come back for their sophomore year, according to state data.

NJ Advance Media takes a crack at predicting who makes the sectional finals.

The May 29th edition of the NJ.com Top 20

Officials have yet to identify the person

Trenton police responding to calls of an unconscious person in East Trenton Monday afternoon found a "badly decomposing" body in an alley.

At 4:23 p.m., officers were called to the area of Taylor and Poplar streets. In the rear of Taylor street, they found a deceased male, police spokesman Lt. Steve Varn said.

The body was found near the intersection of Taylor and Poplar streets.Google Maps 

Mercer County's Homicide Task Force responded and took over the  investigation. On Tuesday, police said the man's death is considered suspicious.

Varn said it's not yet clear how or when the man died, or how old he was. 

The Middlesex County medical examiner's office collected the body for examination.

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

NJ.com picks all 16 public sectional semifinals and the eight non-public semifinals as a bonus.

Come and meet the 41 track and field teams that earned sectional title this past week.

Zack Zehner returned to the Thunder from Scranton Wilkes-Barre. To make room for him, the Yankees sent West Windsor native Ben Ruta to Tampa

What a long, strange trip it has been.

The Thunder returned home Tuesday, to face Reading in a three-game series, before heading back out Friday. But the past seven days have been eventful for Trenton.

Jay Bell's squad went to Akron first, and lost all for games to the RubberDucks. Three of the losses came by a lone run, in low scoring contests. But the trip to Erie was much better for the Thunder, thanks to the bat of Trey Amburgey.

Trenton swept four from the SeaWolves, with the weekend games both won by Amburgey at-bats. The outfielder hit a three-run 11th inning home run Saturday, to give Trenton a 4-1 win. Amburgey then helped beat the SeaWolves once again Sunday. He had a solo blast in the second inning, and a RBI single for the fifth run, in a 5-4 win.

The bullpen came in to shut the door in the final three games, to help Trenton (31-19) back to within a half game of New Hampshire for the best record in the Eastern League.

Amburgey, who struggled early in the cold weather, has started to turn things around at the plate. He has hits in eight of his last nine games, and has two multiple hit contests over that time.

"We are all excited to be playing in baseball weather," Amburgey said. "It was tough playing the first few weeks in 30 degrees. But it is getting warmer, and we are ready to get rolling.

"We are all working, and pushing forward. As the weather is getting better, I think we will all start to warm up. We are ready for it. We are just having fun each day."

Jonathan Loaisiga was activated off the 7-Day Dl on May 22, and got the win Sunday. He went five innings, and allowed six hits, four runs, no walks, and he struck out six.

He moved to 2-0 with Trenton, and 5-0, with a 2.37 ERA, on the season at two levels. The Yankees number 13 prospect will now look to move on from the blister, and start to build up his pitch count over the summer. 

Fried what? Which new snacks have Thunder fans abuzz

NOTES:

There have been many roster moves since the Thunder last played at home.

LHP Ryan Bollinger was called up to the Yankees on May 23, in case they needed an extra arm, but he was optioned back to Trenton the next day. He was activated by the Thunder Monday.

RHP Domingo Acevedo was also activated Monday from the 7-Day DL. The Yankees number seven prospect had been on the Disabled List since April 12. 

He came into the game with Erie Monday in relief, and retired all nine hitters he faced, to get the victory in the 6-5 win.

LHP Trevor Lane and infielder Mandy Alvarez were both transferred to Tampa Monday to make way for the duo.

Zack Zehner returned to the Thunder Thursday from Scranton Wilkes-Barre. He was a staple in the Trenton outfield last year, and had been in Triple A to start the 2018 season. His grand slam Monday in the seventh gave the Thunder a 5-2 lead, and he has nine RBIs since his return.

To make room for Zehner, the Yankees sent West Windsor native Ben Ruta to Tampa.

Billy Fleming came down from Scranton Friday as well, while Matt Frawley was moved to Tampa in the corresponding move. Kyle Holder was also activated from the 7-Day DL, and transferred to Charleston.

The Thunder will play three games with Reading, before they head back out on the road for three at Bowie.

Trenton will then play 12 of its next 15 games at Arm & Hammer Park. Richmond comes to town for three games (Tuesday, June 5 to Thursday, June 7), before the most anticipated series of the season.

The Binghamton Rumble Ponies come into Trenton Friday, June 8, for a three-game set. Why all the buzz?

Tim Tebow.

Tebow will be in town twice in two weeks, with Binghamton back in town for the final three of the 15-game run, Tuesday June 19-Thursday, June 21.

In between, the Thunder hit the road once again to Bowie for three (June 12-14), before Erie comes to Trenton (June 15-17).

Expect massive crowds at Arm & Hammer for the six games with the Rumble Ponies.

Contact Sean Miller at seanmillertrentontimes@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @TheProdigalSean