18 of the best plays of the year - 7 from the finals

Christopher DeSarno, a 19-year veteran of the Aberdeen Police Department, admitted to accessing a confidential national law enforcement database and sharing the information with someone who is not a cop.

ABERDEEN -- A veteran police officer with 19 years on the Aberdeen police force admitted on Tuesday to illegally accessing a confidential national law enforcement database, authorities said.

Christopher DeSarno, 40, of Holmdel, pleaded guilty to third-degree computer theft for accessing the database and then providing information to a person who is not a member of law enforcement, Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher Gramiccioni announced in a statement. 

DeSarno has applied to the pre-trial intervention program. If he's accepted into the program and completes it, DeSarno's record will be expunged.

DeSarno will learn if he's accepted into the PTI program at his sentencing on March 20, 2017.

As part of the plea agreement entered before Judge Thomas Scully in Superior Court in Monmouth County, DeSarno will step down from his position as a police officer and can't hold any future positions in public office or public employment in New Jersey.

Gramiccioni said his office started a corruption tip line in November 2012 in an effort to garner the "public's assistance in identifying and targeting corruption, fraud and misconduct occurring in local government agencies."

Monmouth County residents can submit their tips by phone, 855-7-UNJUST (855-786-5878), or email them to corruption@co.monmouth.nj.us. The subject line of the email should say, "Corruption/Misconduct Tip."

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

Sean Gillet was in possession of 'numerous' images, authorities said

FREEHOLD-- A 32-year-old man was arrested Monday after allegedly uploading a pornographic image of a child to an online chatroom, Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni said Tuesday.

Sean Gillet of Manalapan allegedly uploaded the image to Chatstep, a free chat service, around June 1. The service reported the incident to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, passing on the username Gillet allegedly used, "esse."

 

A trace of the IP address led investigators to Gillet's home, where authorities executed a search warrant and seized computers and electronic equipment, including a thumb drive found in Gillet's bedroom containing several images of child pornography.

Gillet has been charged with two counts of endangering the welfare of a child related to  possession and distribution of child pornography.

He was being held on $150,000 bail and is prohibited from having contact with children under under 18 or from using the Internet.

Paul Milo may be reached at pmilo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter@PaulMilo2. Find NJ.com on Facebook.  

Is sports bookmaking coming to New Jersey sooner than you think? Watch video

TRENTON -- Gov. Chris Christie on Tuesday said voters were "dumb" to reject north Jersey casinos in a referendum last month, and predicted the state will see casinos beyond Atlantic City within five years.

The governor also said he expects sports betting will be legal in the state by the time he leaves office in 2018.

Appearing as a co-host on WFAN's "Boomer and Carton" sports radio show, the Republican governor made his comments after fielding a call from a distraught John "Jay" Coffey, the mayor of Oceanport, the town that is home to Monmouth Park Racetrack. 

"We're getting eaten alive by other states," said Coffey.

Coffey quickly voiced his support for a new measure in the state Assembly (A4255) that would allow New Jersey's racetracks, including Monmouth Park, to create legal "internet gaming cafes" at the tracks where those visitors could play already-legal online gambling games in a designated space leased by casinos.

"It's not going to happen, Jay," Christie said. "We just put a referendum on to have casino gaming in other parts of the state and it lost with 80 percent of the vote. Jay, the people have spoken." 

New Jersey voters overwhelmingly shot down a ballot question asking whether to amend the constitution to allow casino gambling outside of Atlantic City by building two casinos in the northern part of the state. 

"No, the people have spoken that they didn't want that legislation," Coffey said, but the governor cut him off.

"They do not want casino style gaming spread in other parts of the state," Christie said. "It's that simple. That's why I'm going for sports gambling. We're doing our best to try and get you sports gaming in Monmouth, which would really help Monmouth, but you're not getting VOTs (video gaming terminals), or slots or anything like that. ... It's not gonna happen."

Assemblyman Ralph Caputo (D-Essex), a co-sponsor of the internet gaming cafe measure, has denied his bill is circumventing the public's will, noting that online gaming is legal in the state, and that bettors could simply be allowed to play those online games in a designated space leased by racetracks.

Sports betting fight heading to U.S. Supreme Court?

Christie said he supported  the failed referendum because he feared that competition from across the Hudson River would soon dominate the north Jersey bettors market.

"All the New York money sponsored commercials in New Jersey, and people listened to the New York money, and you know what's going to happen?" Christie asked. "New York's going to expand casino gaming into New York City, they're going to make all the money, and New Jersey's not. And it was a dumb move by the voters, but they did it."

New Jersey lawmakers are prohibited from putting the question on the ballot before voters again for two years, but the governor said he was optimistic that by 2021, counties like Essex and Hudson and Bergen would be able to offer the same gaming offerings as Atlantic City.

He also laid down a marker on the fate of sports betting fight. Christie's administration has been fighting for years to legalize such wagering at New Jersey's casinos and racetracks but has been rebuffed in court each time. The state has now petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court to take up the case.

"I also think that we'll have sports gambling in New Jersey in the next year," Christie said. "Before I leave office, I think we'll have sports gambling in Monmouth Park."

Christie is term-limited and must leave office on Jan. 18, 2018.

Claude Brodesser-Akner may be reached at cbrodesser@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @ClaudeBrodesser. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.

New Census data released last week shows that average commute times are getting longer, especially for residents that take public transportation. Find out which towns have the best and worst commutes to work, according to the Census data.

The couple called the police after two of their dogs were poisoned for the second time in a few years.

JACKSON - A township couple says that for the second time in a few years, someone may have poisoned their dogs.

On Dec. 5, Mike and Ann Zappia reported to police that their two 6-month-old beagles were poisoned and were receiving blood transfusions at a veterinary hospital, the couple told 6ABC.com.

The Jackson residents also provided documentation that they previously had dogs die from a similar poisoning, police said in a release.

Mike Zappia, 76, told 6abc.com that the dogs, Becky and Jimmy, became sick just days after police were called to their home when a neighbor complained about their barking. Both of the dogs are kept in outdoor pens.

The doctor determined that the puppies were suffering from the effects of rat poison and urged the couple to contact the police, the report said.

"Somebody's doing it, because this is not normal," Ann told 6abc.com.

However, the couple said they are not accusing anyone specifically.

Both dogs are recovering after receiving $2,000 in veterinary treatments and medication, the report said.

The poisonings are being investigated by the Jackson Township Police Department and the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, police said.

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

The Monmouth County resident was robbed at gunpoint following a Craigslist deal.

HIGHLANDS - Authorities are investigating a reported gunpoint robbery of a borough resident following a Craigslist transaction.

Shortly before 4:30 p.m. on Monday, a Highlands resident made arrangements to sell an item after posting an advertisement on Craigslist.com.

After the transaction at the seller's home, the buyer returned moments later with another person and brandished a handgun, police said. The robbers forced the resident into a room and demanded money, police said.

The resident escaped through a window and called police at a neighbor's house, police said. The victim was treated at the scene by the Highlands First Aid Squad for minor injuries sustained during the escape.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective George Ruth 732-872-1158.

The Highlands Police Department also encouraged anyone who uses similar websites to buy or exchange any type of product to take the proper precautions.

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

Get links to all of NJ.com's post-season football content including All-State, All-Group and local county and conference honors for the 2016 season.

Welcome to Part 1 of NJ.com's postseason honors and season in review for the 2016 football season.  Part 2 will be added here Thursday morning. Enjoy and congrats to the honorees.

TOP HONORS
• Player of the Year (Coming Thursday)
• Defensive Player of the Year (Coming Thursday)
• Coach of the Year (Coming Thursday)
• Team of the Year (Coming Thursday)

ALL-STATE TEAMS
• First Team All-State: Offense | Defense (Coming Thursday)
• Second Team All-State: Offense | Defense (Coming Thursday)
• Third Team All-State: Offense | Defense (Coming Thursday) 

RELATED: WATCH & VOTE for video Play of the Year

FINAL TEAM RANKINGS
• NJ.com Football Final 50: The Top 20 (and 30 more) 
• Conference rankings
• Group 4
• Group 3
• Group 2
• Group 1
• Non-Public
• Public
• Prep 

ALL-GROUP
• All-Group 5 (Coming Thursday)
• All-Group 4 (Coming Thursday)
• All-Group 3 (Coming Thursday)
• All-Group 2 (Coming Thursday)
• All-Group 1 (Coing Thursday)
• All-Non-Public (Coming Thursday)
• All-Prep

CONFERENCE SEASONS IN REVIEW
Players of the Year & other honors
• Greater Middlesex Conference
• North Jersey Football Super Conference
• Mid-State 38 Conference
• North Jersey Interscholastic Conference
• Shore Conference
• West Jersey Football Conference

ALL-CONFERENCE TEAMS
As selected by each conference
• Greater Middlesex Conference (not yet announced)
• North Jersey Football Super Conference
• Mid-State 38 Conference (not yet announced)
• North Jersey Interscholastic Conference
• Shore Conference
• West Jersey Football League 
• All-Mid-Atlantic Prep League

STAT LEADERS
• Season heroes: Single-game leaders
• Season stat leaders

East Brunswick and OSHA police are still investigating.

EAST BRUNSWICK -- Police have identified the man crushed to death in a compactor last week as a 22-year-old man Freehold resident, police said. 

Alvaro Esteban died Thursday in a cardboard compactor after an industrial accident in the recycling area of the East Brunswick salvage yard, East Brunswick Lt. Sean Goggins said. 

Esteban was an employee of Universal Processing, LLC, which does business at the address as Atlantic Sales & Salvage, according to Joanna Hawkins, a spokeswoman for Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Calls to the company were not returned. 

East Brunswick police and fire officials were on scene at the Edgeboro Road facility just before 11:30 a.m. 

No further details of the incident were made available. East Brunswick and OSHA police are still investigating.

There is no history of accident or safety violations at the facility, according to Hawkins. OSHA is a federal agency charged with enforcing workplace health and safety.

Craig McCarthy may be reached at CMcCarthy@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @createcraig and on Facebook here. Find NJ.com on Facebook.  

The Monmouth County SPCA has cared for more than 500 animals since the Howell hoarding case in June, officials said.

NEPTUNE -- The Monmouth County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals will be hosting a fundraiser Thursday at the Headliner to launch its new fundraising effort -- a pinup calendar.

The MCSPCA relies on the support from the public to purchase supplies to care for the animals it brings in, said Lindsay Sanator, a spokeswoman for the MCSPCA.

The June hoarding case in Howell brought in more than 270 dogs at one time. Sanator said the MCSPCA has also had an additional five more hoarding cases, upping the total animals cared for since June to more than 500.

It costs about $6 a day to feed one dog, according to Sanator. 

"We rely on the support of the public to help us provide medical care, food, housing and enrichment to help prepare these animals for adoption," Sanator said in an email. "Every dollar we receive through donations is critical in helping us fulfill our mission to save homeless, neglected or abused animals."

October's shot from the Monmouth County SPCA calendar. (Courtesy of the MCSPCA) 

In an attempt to raise awareness and funds around the holiday season, the MCSPCA is selling old school pinup calendars, which include pictures of pets up for adoption.

The calendar costs $20 and is available for purchase on the MCSPCA website.

The organization will hold a launch party on Thursday from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the Headliner bar on Route 35 in Neptune. Some of the models pictured in the calendar will be onsite to sign purchased copies. 

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

Memorial Sloan Kettering and Hackensack Meridian Health will partner to give New Jersey patients access to more clinical trials and specialists.

NUTLEY -- One of the nation's oldest and most respected cancer care centers is partnering with one of New Jersey's largest hospital systems in what was called a "momentous" deal that could give the state's cancer patients access to more experimental treatments and specialists, company officials said.

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York signed the agreement with Hackensack Meridian Health at an event in Nutley on Wednesday, creating one of the largest cancer care partnerships in the nation.

The ten-year deal means some New Jersey patients could get access to a combined 800 clinical trials, including tests of experimental cancer drugs and treatments overseen by Memorial Sloan Kettering doctors in New York, hospital officials said. Some patients may also be able to get access to cancer treatments in New Jersey that had previously only been available in New York.

New concern for prostate cancer patients

The deal will affect about one in every five cancer patients in New Jersey, company officials said. The combined organizations will create the largest cancer care network in the region and one of the largest in the country.

"Through this partnership, residents of New Jersey and beyond will be able to receive unprecedented cancer care close to home," said Robert Garrett, co-CEO of Hackensack Meridian Health.

The two cancer care centers will bear each other's names on their buildings, including the John Theurer Cancer Center at HackensackUMC in Hackensack and Memorial Sloan Kettering's locations in Basking Ridge and Middletown and a new center due to open in 2018 in Montvale. 

Though the two sides will continue to independently own and operate their facilities, Sloan Kettering and Hackensack Meridian plan to come together to open new joint ambulatory care centers around New Jersey in areas they don't currently serve. Company officials declined to say what towns they are considering for new facilities.

U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), who attended the announcement event, called the deal the "singular most important moment in health care in our state" in the last 25 years. Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-9th Dist.) said the partnership would also give New Jersey more access to $1 billion in cancer research funding approved by Congress.

New Jersey patients already have access to clinical trials of new cancer drugs through Rutgers University's cancer center, which also has partnerships with area hospitals. But the Memorial Sloan Kettering-Hackensack Meridian partnership could expand options for some patients with difficult-to-treat cancers.

The partnership is another major stride by out-of-state cancer centers to expand into new territory in the lucrative cancer-treatment market. Sloan Kettering, world-renown for its cancer care, now has an outpatient treatment facility in Basking Ridge, and just opened a second outpatient facility in Middletown. That site is expected to offer some surgeries there next year. 

Many of its patients come from Central Jersey and had to travel into Manhattan for chemotherapy or radiation, Sloan Kettering officials said when they recently opened the site.

Another competitor, the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, is also expanding to have a national footprint. It has partnered with the largest collective physicians' practice in the state, Summit Medical Group, to provide cancer care in New Jersey under the Anderson name.

The Memorial Sloan Kettering-Hackensack Meridian deal means doctors and researchers will have access to each other's data and research. Together, they will do about 30,000 cancer surgeries a year, officials said. The prospect of having research data on that many cases intrigued some doctors.

"Nobody comes close to these numbers. It's impossible not to be excited about this," said Jose Baselga, physician-in-chief and chief medical officer at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York.

Hospital officials said the deal will mean:

• Current patients will continue to see their same doctors and receive their current treatment. Their health insurance will not be affected. However, patients may have access to new clinical trials and specialists they could not see before.
• Doctors from both organizations will participate in joint tumor boards and other meetings to help chart treatment courses for patients. The two sides will also establish joint standards of care for patients.
• Students at the new Seton Hall-Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine, set to open in Nutley next year, will have opportunities to train at Memorial Sloan Kettering facilities.

The two sides began talking several years ago when Meridian Health and Memorial Sloan Kettering began negotiating a deal to share some services, including coordinating home care for cancer patients in New Jersey.

When Meridian finalized its merger with Hackensack earlier this year, the talks with Memorial Sloan Kettering turned into discussions about a larger partnership, company officials said.

"We had not talked about this type of partnership with any other New Jersey hospitals," said Craig Thompson, president and CEO of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.

Marshall McLuhan's most well-known statement was "the medium is the message."

If you took communications classes in college in the 1970s and 1980s, you likely heard about Marshall McLuhan, a Canadian professor and philosopher who published "Laws of Media: The New Science" in 1966.

And I'm pretty sure I can figure out his views on coffee, too.courtesy of afflictor.com 

Perhaps his most well-known statement was "the medium is the message." But another of his observations was that "Xerox makes everyone a publisher."

Similarly, I submit that digital cameras make everyone a photographer.

MORE: Vintage photos around New Jersey

The digital camera offers the photographer the ability to scroll through gigabytes of shots so as to pick the perfect one. Prior to this, the one behind the lens had to depend on their skills of composition, lighting and sometimes just being in the right place at the right time.

The photos in this gallery, captured mostly by everyday folks clicking the shutter, were done without the benefit of knowing what the shot would look like; instead, the photographers had to wait for the picture to be processed to determine if it was frame worthy. Not one photographer whose pictures appear in this gallery had the benefit of a do-over.

And, I think you'll agree that they could be considered works of art.

Here's a gallery of superb photos taken in New Jersey before 1986. Have captions enabled to read more about them.

Have some of your own classic snaps taken before 1987? We'd love to see them and use them in a gallery. Attach them as jpgs and email ghatala@starledger.com.

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

A look at the top 20 teams entering 2016-17 season.

A complete look at the preseason NJ.com basketball rankings.

Anglers would only be able to keep two summer flounder instead of five

A plan expected to be adopted Thursday by federal officials to decrease flounder catch limits and increase the size rules would severely hamper New Jersey fishermen, according to a report on PressofAtlanticCity.com.

If the proposal is adopted, fishermen catching summer flounder, also called fluke, would only be able to keep two fish, down from the current five flounder limit, the report said. The flounder would also have to be at least 19 inches long, instead of the current 18 inches.

Local anglers and businesses told PressofAtlanticCity.com the restrictions will hurt bait-and-tackle shops and boat dealerships. 

The National Marine Fisheries Service said overfishing has significantly reduced the stock of flounder. It suggested slashing the catch flounder by nearly 30 percent in 2017 and another 18 percent the following year.

Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JeffSGoldman. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

See who starts the season with a good chance to finish No. 1.

Alan Bienkowski was convicted of beating his neighbor to death and then shooting a Point Pleasant man to death.

FREEHOLD - Alan Bienkowski was already serving a 35-year sentence for beating a neighbor to death in Ocean County when he stood before Superior Court Judge Ronald Reisner on Thursday morning to be sentenced for a second slaying.

Bienkowski, 57, was convicted on Dec. 9 of shooting 56-year-old Point Pleasant resident Michael Wells to death with a stolen handgun. Bienkowski robbed Wells as he arrived to work at Dutch Prime Foods in Long Branch shortly before 4 a.m. on April 10, 2013.

The conviction came about eight months after Bienkowski was sentenced to 35 yearsfor the killing of 76-year-old Anthony Verdicchio. The two men both lived in the Pine Acres Manor Mobile Park in Manchester Township when Bienkowski struck Verdicchio 14 to 16 times with a hammer and then robbed of some of his belongings.

Reisner said if he could have sentenced Bienkowski to death he "would not hesitate for an instant" to do so, because Wells was the second person who Bienkowski "decided to put to death himself."

Instead, Reisner sentenced Bienkowski to life in prison without parole and ordered that sentence to run consecutively with the 35-year sentence in Verdicchio's killing.

The sentence was handed down after emotional pleas for justice from members of Wells's family and after Bienkowsk - who stood quietly with his hands shackled in front of him during the court proceedings - declined to speak on his own behalf.

Reisner said that just because Bienkowski had a heroin addiction or needed to "get a few bucks to pay his rent, his cell phone and his cable TV bill," he had no right to kill Wells.

"He absolutely had no right whatsoever to snuff out the life of a well-loved, well-respected, hard-working individual who was respected and loved by his family, coworkers and throughout the community," Reisner said. "He absolutely had no right to simply take his life because he was in need of money."

In addition to the life sentence for the murder charge, Bienkowski was also sentenced to 10-year sentences for a pair of weapons offenses and a five-year sentence for receipt of stolen property.

Reisner ordered those sentences to run concurrently with the life sentence.

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

Listen to Lee's new, mournful tune "Somebody's Angel"

COLTS NECK -- It was deja vu. In fall 2013, Jacquie Lee, a bubbly 16-year-old from Colts Neck, advanced to the finale of "The Voice" and thrilled millions with her sky-scraping vocal ability. 

And when NBC's singing competition returned for a new season in early 2014, along came Christina Grimmie, another New Jersey teen -- this time from Marlton -- who wowed the judges, and also lasted until the final episode. 

The two girls became close friends through and after the show, traveling together on tour, singing karaoke together, and appearing in silly social media videos. 

Expectedly, when Grimmie was shot and killed June 10 in Orlando, Lee was devastated. 

Can't be happening. Please everybody pray for Christina grimmie.please

-- Jacquie Lee (@jacquieleemusic) June 11, 2016

"I was having a really hard time getting back into my routine and my normal life," Lee told Popdust.com, and apparently a chance encounter with a homeless woman, who said Grimmie had become "somebody's angel," spurred Lee, now 19, to write a song in tribute, with the same title. 

Listen above to "Somebody's Angel," a touching ballad that laments: "Wish I could hear the words that you say to me right now / wish I knew where you were, you were here with me somehow / but you're somebody's angel now."

Bobby Olivier may be reached at bolivier@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @BobbyOlivier. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Albin F. Wicki, the son of Union Beach Council President Albin Wicki, was charged by Middletown police

MIDDLETOWN -- A Union Beach man was arrested after exposing himself and masturbating in front of at least one minor in Middletown, authorities said Thursday.

Albin F. Wicki, 26, was charged Wednesday with endangering the welfare of a child, two counts of criminal sexual contact and two counts of lewdness after investigators determined he accosted at least two people two weeks ago, said Detective Lt. Paul Bailey.

Wicki is the son of Union Beach Council President Albin Wicki. He also works for the Monmouth County Parks System.

Bailey said Wicki is accused of driving slowly alongside his victims, exposing his genitals and masturbating in full view. Wicki was arrested Wednesday after detectives investigated similar reports of a man performing lewd acts while driving his car on Nov. 30 and Dec. 2, Bailey said. He said both incidents occurred while the victims - one of whom was under 18 - were walking.

Arrested by Detective Keith Hirschbein and Detective First Class Daniel Sullivan, Wicki was processed and later released after posting bail, which had been set at $60,000, Bailey said.

Possible victims or anyone with information is asked to call Hirschbein or Detective First Class Darrin Simon of the police department's special victims unit at 732-615-2120.

MaryAnn Spoto may be reached at mspoto@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @MaryAnnSpoto. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Test your knowledge of the top stories from around New Jersey over the past week.

Time to see how you stack up against other NJ.com readers in this week's local news quiz. We've put together seven questions based on some our most popular stories over the past week. Let's see how well you remember the details of each. After you've taken the quiz, share your score in the comments below.