It's been four weeks since the disappearance of Sarah Stern, 19, after her car was found unoccupied on the Route 35 bridge in Belmar. Watch video

NEPTUNE -- It's been four weeks since the disappearance of a Neptune City teen after her car was found unoccupied on a Belmar bridge on Dec. 2.

Sarah Stern, 19, left her family's home in Neptune City at 11:45 p.m. driving her grandmother's 1994 Oldsmobile Eighty-Eight Royal, according to her father Michael Stern. The car was found parked on the Route 35 Bridge around 2:45 a.m. on Dec. 3, but Sarah remains missing even after an extensive search.

Michael Stern is distraught and said the holidays were especially difficult for his family because Sarah loved Christmas.

"I feel lousy and heartbroken," he told NJ Advance Media on Friday. "They haven't come up with too many new leads. There are so many unanswered questions. We're at a loss, really."

Michael Stern previously had said his daughter seemed fine in the days leading up to her disappearance and that everyone who knows her feels that it's not like Sarah to run away.

"It's a gut-wrenching experience that no parent should have to go through," Michael Stern said. "I love my daughter, and I just wish she would come home."

Authorities said Stern's car was found unoccupied, working properly, with the keys inside. An extensive search of the Shark River was conducted by local and county search teams.

Sarah Stern attended Neptune High School where she played softball and was also a member of the swim team. Michael Stern said his daughter started on the varsity softball team as a freshman. But she was also very interested in art and photography and has a keen interest in digital media, specifically YouTube videos. She studied art and TV production at Brookdale Community College for two semesters.

Sarah Stern's friendships expanded beyond the close-knit Jersey Shore community she grew up in, however. She traveled to places like Australia, Canada and London for digital media conventions, like VidCon. She stayed in touch with the people she met at these conventions, her father said, by video chatting with them.

The Monmouth County Crime Stoppers organization has offered a $5,000 reward for anyone who has information that leads to the "identification, arrest and prosecution of any suspect(s) in the disappearance" of Stern.

Reporter Alex Napoliello contributed to this story.

A collection of the best 2016 photos and video from Andy Mills, a staff multimedia specialist at NJ Advance Media. You can follow Andy on Instagram @andrew_mills & on Twitter @AndyMills_NJ

The single-car crash shut down the express lanes of the Garden State Parkway in the Aberdeen area

ABERDEEN -- A driver was badly injured on the Garden State Parkway in Aberdeen when his sport utility vehicle flipped over and caught fire Sunday morning, authorities said.

The southbound express lanes of the Garden State Parkway were shut down in that area while rescue personnel tended to the male driver and continued the investigation, said Sgt. Gregory Williams, a spokesman for the New Jersey State Police.

Williams said the single-car accident occurred at 11:25 a.m. in the southbound express lanes at milepost 119.1 in Aberdeen when a 2000 GMC Jimmy flipped over for an unknown reason.

He said the vehicle caught fire after it flipped.

The driver was rushed to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, he said.

Williams said the State Police Fatal Accident Unit responded, as it does with all very serious accidents.

The express lanes in that area remain closed for now while the investigation continues, he said.

'Terrible,' Fiery Garden State Parkway Crash:'Burnt' Car Flips, Catches Fire In New Jersey. Story Developing [Video] https://t.co/EUugbiqsje pic.twitter.com/jxQYeOUNRa

-- Jersey Shore News (@NJShorePatch) January 1, 2017

The crash occurred in the southbound lanes of Route 35 in Middletown, authorities said

MIDDLETOWN -- A 25-year-old man was injured when he was hit by a car in Middletown early Sunday morning, authorities said.

The man, who authorities have not yet identified, was hit at 1:28 a.m. while he was in the southbound lane of Route 35 near Andover Street in the township's Fairview section, said Lt. Paul Bailey, spokesman for the police department.

Bailey said the motorist who hit the pedestrian initially left the scene but returned later.

The pedestrian was treated at the scene by the Fairview First Aid Squad for several fractures and then taken to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune, he said. Bailey said the man's injuries are not considered life threatening.

The crash is still under investigation and anyone with information about it is asked to call Patrolman Michael Reuter of the department's Traffic Safety Unit at 732-615-2100.

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

The annual "Plunge for a Purpose" is now an Asbury Park tradition.

ASBURY PARK --  Call it perfect swimming weather for charity.

The "Plunge for a Purpose" was held outside the Convention Hall again this year, attracting hundreds of participants. 

The Atlantic Ocean was a very chilly 48 degrees - just two degrees cooler than the air temperature. 

A non-profit group, the Sons of Ireland, organized the polar dip to raise funds for two charities:

Stephy's Place is a support center for grief and loss in Red Bank.

Shore House, in Long Branch, helps people dealing with mental illness.

As for the polar plunge participants, they showed different styles. Some went slowly, acclimating themselves to the frigid waters. Others, however, ran hard and dove right in, the quicker to get it over with.

Ed Murray may be reached at emurray@njadvancemedia.com. Follow Ed on Twitter at @EdMurrayphoto. Find NJ.COM on Facebook.

Thousands of New Jerseyans participated in or watched polar beach plunges at the Shore

Some people do it to mark something different for the New Year.

Others do it as tradition.

Whatever the reason, thousands of revelers in New Jersey welcomed the New Year by taking a plunge into the chilly Atlantic Ocean on Sunday morning not only for the thrill but also for charity.

"None of this stuff of up to the knees" in the water, said Michael Kahlenberg, a spokesman for the polar plunge in Atlantic City. "You gotta go under."

While the air temperature was close to 50 degrees in Atlantic City by plunge time, the water temperature was closer to the mid-40s, sending shock waves through many despite the bright blue skies.

While that plunge has been a regular in Atlantic City for nearly three decades, this is the fifth year the proceeds were designated to go to the Multiple Sclerosis Society, Kahlenberg said.

Polar Bear Plunge in Asbury Park chills and thrills for charity

A few miles away, a polar bear plunge also kicked off in Brigantine. Brigantine's Polar Bear Plunge started 16 years ago as a local event but grew into a major fundraiser for Fisher House, which provides housing and transportation for wounded military members and their families.

Event publicity coordinator Bob Lund said he was pleased with the turnout - one of the largest since the event started on a bet between friends in 2000.

"This was one of the biggest ones," Lund said, referring to the estimated 1,000 swimmers and 6,000 spectators at the 14^th Street beach. "I would say there were more swimmers I the water than I've ever seen."

Lund estimated the plunge raised more than $80,000 for Fisher House.

In Asbury Park, the plunge stepped off near Convention Hall at 1 p.m., when hundreds took a dip or a dive for the 14^th annual Sons of Ireland Polar Bear Plunge.

This year, the Sons of Ireland selected as the event's beneficiaries Stephy's Place, a non-profit grief support center in Red Bank and Shore House, a Long Branch-based support organization for people with mental illnesses.

In Ocean City, revelers took a plunge near Music Pier to benefit the Hero Campaign, a charity started by the family of John R. Elliott, a U.S. Naval Academy graduate who was killed by a drunk driver in 2000 on his way home to Egg Harbor Township.

With 5,000 people either watching or plunging, the event raised $20,000 for the John R. Elliott Foundation, which promotes safe and sober driving, said Glenn Davila, spokesman for the foundation.

He said New Year's Day is the perfect time to spread the message about the need for designated drivers. And with the unseasonably warm weather bringing out the crowds, that message reached a large audience, he said.

"You couldn't ask for a better day," Davila said. "It was great."

It is unclear if the whale spotted Sunday off Belmar is the same humpback that spent New Year's Eve in the East River in New York.

BELMAR -- One of the world's largest mammals rang in the new year in the chilly waters of New York and New Jersey.

A large whale, believed to be a humpback, was spotted surfacing and spraying water out of its blowhole in the East River near Gracie Mansion on New Year's Eve, according to the New York Police Department.

Photos of the whale were posted on the NYPD's Twitter account.

"Even the wildlife want to ring in #NYE2017 in #NYC," the NYPD Special Operations unit posted on its Twitter page.

#Harbor spotted another whale in the E. River this morning right next to Gracie Mansion. Even the wildlife want to ring in #NYE2017 in #NYC pic.twitter.com/oQNbnGBirm

-- NYPD Special Ops (@NYPDSpecialops) December 31, 2016

Another whale sighting was reported off the Jersey Shore Sunday morning. It is unclear if it was the same humpback from the East River heading south or another whale.

Bill McKim, a Jersey Shore-based artist and photographer, said he spotted the whale off the coast of Belmar around 11 a.m.

McKim posted photos on his Twitter account of a whale spraying water in the far distance. The whale appeared to be heading south. There were similar sightings in Long Branch about a half hour earlier, he said.

Just now off the coast of Belmar NJ #whale Jan 1st 2017 @CRESLI_Inc @NYNJBaykeeper @SaveBarnegatBay @CookeCapeMay @LensReality pic.twitter.com/kjp9Fl7zFF

-- Bill Mckim (@belmardays) January 1, 2017

The New Year's whale sightings come after an unusually high number of whales have been spotted in and near New York Harbor over the last few months, experts say.

It is unusual for whales to be this far north in January, retired marine biologist Paul Sieswerda told the Guardian Saturday.

"Humpbacks would normally be heading for the warm waters of the Dominican Republic," said Sieswerda, who leads the New York-based volunteer marine wildlife tracking group Gotham Whale.

U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer Frank Iannazzo-Simmons said the Coast Guard usually notifies mariners when it spots whales in busy waterways to be safe and "let the whale be the whale."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

The NJSPCA said it had opened a criminal investigation after rescuing the dogs on New Year's Eve

An emaciated puppy and two other dogs were rescued on New Year's Eve from a Central Jersey apartment, where they'd apparently been abandoned and left for dead, according to the New Jersey Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

The discovery of the grown dogs and the puppy, described as "skin and bones" and in need of urgent medical care, sparked sharp criticism of a municipal animal control officer, whom the SPCA said initially refused to take the animals because it was a holiday weekend and because there was no room at the local shelter.

Only after the animal control officer was threatened with criminal charges did the official respond, taking the puppy to a medical facility, Frank Rizzo, chief of the SPCA's law enforcement division, said in a statement.

For reasons that were not immediately clear, the SPCA would not name the town or county where the animals were found.

Agency officials expressed anger over the local response, noting the animal control officer also said the town did not want to pick up the cost of medical expenses for the puppy.

"SPCA staff found this response completely unacceptable and reminded the ACO (animal control officer) that as a full-time employee with a salary and benefits, the ACO is mandated by state law to provide animal control services 24 hours a day, seven days a week," the agency's statement said.

On New Year's Day, the statement said, the animal control officer and the medical facility demanded the puppy be removed. Rizzo said the SPCA sergeant who responded to the scene the day before arranged for an animal rescue group to find the puppy a home.

"At this time the puppy is stable, receiving necessary care and has a good prognosis," the statement said.

The two older dogs were healthy and placed in a shelter, the statement said.

The SCPA said it responded to the apartment at 4 p.m. on New Year's eve after a landlord discovered the dogs unattended and received no help from local animal control or the police.

"It is pretty clear to us that all three animals were abandoned and likely left to die," Rizzo said.

He said the agency had opened a criminal investigation into the abandonment case and would begin hunting for the tenant.

"Once the owner is found, he will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law," Rizzo said.

Mark Mueller may be reached at mmueller@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MarkJMueller. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Images of Isak Anderson, 14, and Courtney Dayback, 19, will be affixed to a float recognizing organ donation in the annual parade

Two New Jersey teenagers who donated their organs when they died, giving other gravely ill people a second chance at life, will be honored at the annual Rose Parade in Pasadena, Calif., Monday, according to published reports.

Images of 14-year-old Isak Anderson, of Sparta, and 19-year-old Courtney Dayback, of Holmdel, will be affixed to the Donate Life float in the televised parade, now in its 128th year.

The float, one of dozens in the parade, is meant to spread awareness about the importance of organ donation. Those who have received donated organs will ride atop the float, a Polynesian sailing vessel. It will carry the images of 60 donors from around the country in what are known as floragraphs, portraits made with floral materials.

Other organ recipients will walk alongside the float bearing flowers.

Anderson died of an undetected congenital heart defect in 2014, shortly after his graduation from Sparta Middle School. His parents donated his kidneys, liver and corneas, according to a report in the New Jersey Herald.

Dayback, a Holmdel High School graduate attending Brookdale Community College, suffered cardiac arrest and died in 2008. Her family told the Asbury Park Press her organs helped seven people.

"We're honored," Dayback's father, Dennis Dayback, told the newspaper. "Courtney is not with us, but I'm very proud of Courtney. She was just a very giving, very generous person."

It's the 14th year that Donate Life, a national agency that promotes organ donation, has been a participant in the parade. On its website, the group says 123,000 Americans are on waiting lists for life-saving organs.

The parade, which kicks off at 11 a.m., typically falls on New Year's Day. This year it is on a Monday because the holiday fell on a Sunday.

Mark Mueller may be reached at mmueller@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MarkJMueller. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

The new year begins with thousands of pets in New Jersey awaiting adoption.

If you're interested in helping homeless animals but aren't able to adopt one, there are a number of other ways you can be of assistance.

Realistically, not everyone can adopt. People who live in apartments or developments that have no-pets policies fall into that category, as do people with allergies or disabilities that will not allow them to care for pets of their own. Adoptapet.com offers these suggestions for ways people who want to help can participate in caring for homeless animals.

* Help out at a local shelter. It's not glamorous work by any means, but it's vital and will be very much appreciated. You can do anything from help walk dogs to bottle feed kittens, help clean kennels or cat's cages or even help with bathing and grooming. Contact your local shelter to find out their policies regarding volunteers.

 

* If you're handy, you can lend a hand in many ways. Shelters usually need repairs of many kinds, so fixer-uppers can help out like that. If you sew, quilt or crochet, you can make blankets for your local shelter.

* Help out at an adoption event. Many shelters and rescue groups participate in local events by hosting a table with pets available for adoption. They also hold these program at malls, pet supply stores and banks, and can always use a helping hand.

* For galleries like this one and for online adoptions sites, often a shelter or rescue group doesn't have the time or equipment to shoot good photos of their adoptable pets, Something as simple as making yourself available to shoot and provide digital files of pet photos can be a big help.

* Donate. It doesn't have to be money; shelters need cleaning supplies, pet food, toys for the animals and often even things we don't think twice about getting rid of like old towels and newspapers. Every little bit helps.

If you don't know where your local animal shelter or rescue group is, a quick online search will reveal a number of results. It doesn't take a lot of time or effort to get involved but it provides immeasurable assistance.

Above is a gallery of dogs and cats in New Jersey in need of adoption. More homeless pets can be seen by clicking here and here.

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

Among those who sold at a loss in 2016: Artie Lange and Ice-T, while Mary J. Blige trimmed the price on her Saddle River estate three times, but no takers

Celebrities, they're just like us -- losing a bundle when they bought during the real estate bubble! 

It had to sting for Ice-T and his wife Coco when their North Bergen townhouse, which they lavished with hundreds of thousands of dollars in renovations and custom touches, sold for $800,000 in November. They paid $1.5 million for it in 2008. 

Comedian Artie Lange bought his waterfront Toms River vacation home for $2.45 million in 2008, and tried to sell it off and on since 2010, starting at an ambitious $3.5 million. He ultimately accepted $1.35 million in May. 

Mary J. Blige hasn't yet sold her Saddle River spread, but the R&B queen, who listed the home in 2015 for $13 million, cut the price three times in 2016. She's now asking $9.88 million for the 8-bedroom mansion with its own indoor basketball court. She reportedly paid $12.8 million for the home in 2005. 

And "Real Housewives of New Jersey" star Teresa Giudice lost the second of two properties to foreclosure -- a 3-bedroom rental property in Lincoln Park that didn't garner a single bid and was sold back to her lender for $100 in March, shortly after her husband Joe reported to federal prison for a 41-month fraud sentence. They bought the house in 2005 for $170,000. The lender unloaded it in July for $69,900. (Her "RHONJ" co-star Jacqueline Laurita did manage to wrest her Franklin Lakes home out of foreclosure in June.) 

Not everyone suffered -- Natalie Morales, off to Los Angeles to host "Access Hollywood," sold her Hoboken townhouse for her $3.1 million asking price (she bought it for $1 million, but we don't know how much she spent to renovate and expand it). 

Click through our slideshow above to wallow in real estate schadenfreude, or read about more celebrity real estate deals in New Jersey here. 

Vicki Hyman may be reached at vhyman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @vickihy or like her on Facebook. Find NJ.com/Entertainment on Facebook, and check out Remote Possibilities, the TV podcast from Vicki Hyman and co-host Erin Medley on iTunes, Stitcher or Spreaker, or listen below or here.

Ep. 60: Best and worst TV of 2016

Two new teams enter the Top 20 this week

After the same 20 teams from the NJ.com Preseason Top 20 populated the first regular season NJ.com Top 20 last week, this week's poll features two new teams and a great deal of shifting.

SLIDESHOW: The NJ.com Top 20

St. Joseph (Met.) breaks into the NJ.com Top 20 after topping previously ranked Seton Hall Prep in the Neptune Holiday Jubilee, while St. Peter's Prep bested Teaneck at the Jingle Bell Jubilee to make it into the rankings. St. Mary (Eliz.) made the biggest jump of the week, going from No. 12 to No. 6 after besting then-No. 5 Hudson Catholic.

Where else did teams land? Find out in the full rankings featured in the slideshow above.

Jeremy Schneider may be reached at jschneider@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @J_Schneider. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Aberdeen township agreed to pay the resident $15,000 to settle the lawsuit.

ABERDEEN -- The township has paid a resident $15,000 to settle a lawsuit in which she claims police officers terrorized her at her home in 2013 and failed to properly investigate her complaints after the incident.

Yolanda Mitter, a resident of the Cliffwood section of Aberdeen, alleged in the lawsuit that police officers arrived at her home around 2 a.m. on Aug. 15, 2013, and continuously banged on her door.

Mitter said in the lawsuit that the officers "had no lawful reason" to arrive at her home that morning. She alleged the officers repeatedly banged on the door, tried to enter the home and made comments that were "offensive, threatening, harassing, frightening, menacing and terrorizing," the lawsuit states.

The officers never entered the home.

Mitter, who is black, said the conduct of the officers and officials who subsequently investigated the incident demonstrates "disparate treatment due to race."

Mitter's lawsuit was filed in October 2014, and she and the township reached a settlement last month. The settlement was obtained by open government advocate John Paff and posted to his blog.

As part of the settlement, those named in the lawsuit did not admit to any wrongdoing.  An attorney who represented the township and police were not immediately available to comment on the settlement. 

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

The best shots from our photographers in 2016

With 2016 officially in the books, we felt you would enjoy taking a trip down memory lane to reflect on some of the outstanding athleticism that was showcased across New Jersey this past year.

Whether it was on the football field, basketball court, soccer pitch, baseball diamond, the track, in the pool or any other arena, outstanding plays were made and great accomplishments were achieved by high school standouts here in the Garden State on a consistent basis. Championship trophies were hoisted and there were some heartbreaking defeats, but in the end it was another memorable year for high school sports in New Jersey.

Check out the photo gallery posted above to relive some of the best moments that were displayed in 2016. Also, let us know what you think of these great images in the comments section below.

The driver was thrown from his vehicle. Watch video

ABERDEEN -- A driver who was badly injured in a fiery crash on the Garden State Parkway on New Year's Day remains in stable condition Monday, police said.

Delbert Gomez, 74, of Ocean Township, was driving a 2000 GMC Jimmy at 11:25 a.m. in the northbound express lanes of the Parkway when he struck the right guardrail near mile marker 119.1, New Jersey State Police spokesman Sgt. First Class Gregory Williams said.

Gomez then crossed the express lanes and hit the left guardrail, overturning his vehicle, Williams said. The vehicle came to a rest right side up on the southbound express lanes and then caught fire.

Gomez was throw from his vehicle, Williams said. Drivers of other vehicles who witnessed the crash and pulled over could be seen carrying Gomez away from the vehicle.

Williams did not know why Gomez lost control of the vehicle. He said that it is still under investigation.

Gomez was taken to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick.

The single-vehicle crash closed the southbound express lanes, leading to a traffic buildup for miles. 

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

The man used the garage to work on vehicles, officials said.

ASBURY PARK -- A 56-year-old man who was severely burned in a Christmas Eve fire has died, police said. 

Asbury Park firefighters responded to a fully-involved fire in a garage behind a home on Fourth Avenue around 10:35 a.m. on Dec. 24. 

Robert Fourette, of Toms River, was found in the front yard with severe burns to his body, fire officials said at the time. He was rushed to the Burn Center at Saint Barnabas in Livingston where he died days after the incident. 

City Fire Chief Kevin Keddy told the Asbury Park Press that the man used the garage to work on vehicles. 

The cause of the fire remains under investigation. 

Firefighters contained the blaze to the garage, protecting the surrounding homes from damage. 

The Christmas Eve blaze was one of the several fires the Asbury Park Fire Department responded to in the days leading up to Christmas. On Dec. 23 and 24, firefighters responded to dozens of serious medical emergencies, two fires in the city and assisted with efforts to battle a blaze in nearby Deal. 

Keddy told NJ Advance Media that the Asbury Park Fire Department responded to 7,000 total calls in 2016 -- 5,000 EMS calls and 2,000 fire calls. 

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

There was movement all over the poll after a wild start the 2016-2017 season.

Vin Gopal will step down as chairman of the Democratic Party in Monmouth County to focus his efforts on the election.

Vin Gopal, the Monmouth County Democratic chairman, announced Monday he will run against longtime state Sen. Jennifer Beck in New Jersey's 11th legislative district.

Beck has served in the upper house of the state Legislature since 2006, twice winning re-election. She represented the 12th district before redistricting.

Gopal will step down as party chairman this week to focus his efforts on the election, he said in a statement.

Gopal, 31, said he will use his experience as a small business owner to improve the economy in Monmouth County.

"I've felt the impact that Trenton's over-regulation, suffocating taxation and red-tape has on the Monmouth County economy and on the ability of families to make ends meet," he said.

Gopal is the founder and president of a 501c(3) organization that helps local charities, and also owns a marketing and communications company in Hazlet. Before becoming the Democratic Party chairman, he sat on the Board of Directors for the Monmouth County Chamber of Commerce.

In his statement, Gopal accused Beck of being a "foot soldier" for Gov. Chris Christie and a political insider who's "mastered the art of political theater and has severely lost touch" with her constituents in a district made up of 18 towns in the heart of Monmouth County.

Beck was not immediately available to comment Tuesday morning.

Though she has agreed with Christie on a number of issues through the years, Beck has broken from the governor -- who now holds a record-low approval rating -- in recent months. Most notably, she publicly criticized and voted against two controversial measures linked to Christie that failed last month: one that would allow him to profit from a book deal and the other that would end a requirement for legal ads to be printed in newspapers.

In a county that voted for President-elect Donald Trump over Hillary Clinton by a 53 percent to 44 percent margin, the 11th district has a large number of unaffiliated voters, nearly 225,000. Almost 166,000 residents are registered Republicans, compared to 152,000 registered Democrats. 

In 2011, Gopal ran an unsuccessful election for a seat in the state Assembly representing the district, losing to Republicans Caroline Casagrande and Mary Pat Angelini. As Democratic Party chairman, Gopal helped lead a stunning upset against Casagrande and Angelini in 2015.

"As your senator, I will spend every day fighting against Trenton insiders and fighting for the needs of working people," Gopal said. "That is my pledge to the residents of Monmouth County."

NJ Advance Media staff writer Brent Johnson contributed to this report.

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

New year, new Springsteen event for his New Jersey fans

WEST LONG BRANCH -- Bruce Springsteen never leaves Long Branch for long.

Monmouth University announced Tuesday that The Boss will visit its Pollak Theater on campus Jan. 10 -- down the street from where he wrote "Born To Run" -- for an "intimate conversation" on his career, moderated by Grammy Museum Executive Director Bob Santelli. 

Tickets for the 7:30 p.m. event are $75 and go on sale Wednesday at noon, on the Monmouth University arts page. 

What Springsteen and Santelli will discuss specifically has not been revealed, but it's fair to assume Bruce's best-selling autobiography, his recent "The River" tour and his increasingly public views on President-Elect Donald Trump will be on the table.

As of Nov. 1, Monmouth University now maintains the largest Bruce Springsteen printed memorabilia collection in existence -- more than 35,000 pieces.

We are excited to announce... A Conversation with Bruce Springsteen! For more info: https://t.co/eDQKX5GCdK pic.twitter.com/Qe90kEU69q

-- Monmouth University (@monmouthu) January 3, 2017

Opponents plan to attend Wednesday's state Board of Education meeting to speak out against new charter school rules proposed by Gov. Chris Christie's administration.

TRENTON -- Charter school opponents are planning a show of force in Trenton Wednesday as the state Board of Education considers loosening regulations to free charter schools from red tape.

Gov. Chris Christie's administration unveiled a plan in October that would help charter schools get better access to facilities, get faster renewals and gain more flexibility in hiring teachers.

Christie said the new rules would remove some of the bureaucracy holding back the state's 88 charter schools, which serve about 3 percent of the state's public school students.

But, opponents say the new rules will lead to an expansion of charter schools that will draw money away from traditional public schools and lead to more segregation in school districts.

The most controversial part of the charter school overhaul proposal calls for the state to create new certificates for teachers and administrators to teach only in charter schools.

The new certificate would still require charter school teachers to hold a four-year bachelor's degree. But, unlike public school teachers, charter school teachers would not need to hold a traditional teaching certificate or follow the already established route for people in other careers who want to become teachers. Instead, they would need other proof, such as a certain level GPA or work experience in their field, to show they are qualified to teach.

Should N.J. ease charter school regulations?

Parents, public school officials, civil rights groups and other activists plan to speak out against the proposal at Wednesday's state Board of Education meeting. The group also plans to hold a 1 p.m. press conference outside the Department of Education building to announce a plan of action for the upcoming year.

The proposed changes to New Jersey's charter schools regulations could have a "devastating financial impact" on local school districts, the group said.

"There is no justification for public funds to be used to foster segregation," said Frank Argote-Freyre, director of the Latino Coalition, an activist group that recently filed a civil rights complaint against the Red Bank Charter School in Monmouth County, citing the school's low number of minority students.

The state Board of Education is scheduled to discuss Christie's proposed changes to charter school regulations at its 10 a.m. meeting Wednesday. But the board has not scheduled a vote on the proposal.

The board will also hold a public comment session at the meeting where charter school supporters and critics are expected to speak.

Deborah Smith-Gregory, president of the Newark NAACP, said her group will be among those calling on the board to reject the overhaul of the state's charter school regulations.

"Newark's children have become the casualties of a war over educational dollars, with the highest toll of destruction on the most vulnerable -- our special needs children," Smith-Gregory said.

Christie has said charter schools, which are not unionized, are more focuses on students than other public schools and the state should make it easier for them to open and expand. He expected fierce opposition to his charter school proposal from the New Jersey Education Association and other teacher's unions.

"This is a fight. Don't ever think for a moment that it's not," Christie said at the New Jersey Charter School conference in May. "I will not give up for a second. I will not give in for a second."

The proposed regulations also call for similar new rules that would allow people to become charter school administrators if they show "sufficient management and leadership experience in a public of private organization."