The Longhorned tick was discovered on the floor of a home with a dog, marking the sixth county where the swarming parasite has been discovered in New Jersey. Watch video

An invasive exotic tick species spreading in New Jersey has turned up in Monmouth County, marking the sixth county to see the tiny parasite, officials said Tuesday.

The Longhorned tick, also known as the East Asian tick, was discovered on the floor of a home with a dog, but it was not clear if it was ever attached to the pooch, according to the state Department of Agriculture. Another dog also recently visited the house.

"It is important for the public to continue to submit tick samples as this will allow us to identify new areas where this tick may be located," Dr. Manoel Tamassia, the New Jersey Department of Agriculture State Veterinarian, said in a statement. "Only with this knowledge, will we be able to make decisions at local and national levels."

This invasive tick is cloning itself. Researchers are racing to contain it.

The tick has previously been found in parks, including Davidson Mill County Pond Park in Middlesex County and Watchung Reservation, Houdaille Quarry Park, and Briant Park in Union County, according to officials.

Longhorned ticks have also been confirmed in New York, North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia and Arkansas. How the tick, which is native to China, Russia and the Korean Peninsula, arrived in the United States remains a mystery, but officials believe it could have arrived on a dog.

Last August, a farmer went to a Hunterdon County health office covered in thousands of the ticks after she was sheering an Icelandic sheep, named Hannah. Experts identified the Longhorned tick, which was not previously reported in the United States.

"Various local, state, and federal animal health agencies, as well as Rutgers Center for Vector Biology, continue to work together to identify the range of the Longhorned tick in New Jersey," state officials said in a news release. "Longhorned ticks that have been collected in New Jersey thus far have tested negative for various human and animal pathogens."

Ask Alexa

Similar to deer ticks, the nymphs of the Longhorned tick are extremely small and resemble tiny spiders, the agriculture department said. They can easily go unnoticed on animals and people, and have been known to spread disease in other countries. The tiny ticks infest a range of species, including humans, cats, dogs and livestock.

State agriculture officials setup a phone line for anyone who finds a tick on themselves, pets or livestock and has questions: 1-833-NEWTICK (1-833-639-8425. Tick reports can also be submitted at the NJDA website.

Noah Cohen may be reached at ncohen@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @noahyc. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

A person was shot and killed Long Branch Tuesday and police have arrested "one person of interest."

A person was shot and killed in Long Branch Tuesday and police have arrested "one person of interest," the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office announced.

Prosecutor's Office Spokesman Chris Swendeman said the shooting occurred on Broadway "earlier this afternoon." 

One person is dead, but the prosecutor's office did not release any other details Tuesday night except that one person was arrested and that there was "no further danger to the public."

Several people on social media said there was a heavy police presence on Broadway and one person said the road was closed from Branchport to Morrell Street. There are several businesses in that area including a laundromat and a church.

Swendeman said more information on the shooting would be released, but did not say when.

The prosecutor's office and the Long Branch Police Department are investigating the shooting. 

Chris Sheldon may be reached at csheldon@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @chrisrsheldon Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Visitors can go inside a restored B-17 Flying Fortress, a B-24 Liberator, a B-25 Mitchell and one of the 3 remaining P-51D Mustangs

The state's top QBs over the last three decades

Miguel Leal Camara, 40, of Long Branch was charged with murder and other unspecified charges according to Monmouth County Prosecutors.

A Long Branch man was charged with the murder of another local man following a deadly shooting Tuesday afternoon, according to the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office.

Miguel Leal Camara, 40, of Long Branch was arrested in the shooting death of a yet unidentified man. In addition to murder, Camara was also charged with several unspecified charges. 

Camara is due for his first court appearance at 1:30 p.m. 

The shooting occurred on Broadway "earlier this afternoon." according to Prosecutor's Spokesman Chris Swendeman.

Several people on social media said there was a heavy police presence on Broadway, and one person said the road was closed from Branchport to Morrell Street.

The prosecutor's office and the Long Branch Police Department are investigating the shooting. 

Taylor Tiamoyo Harris may be reached at tharris@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @ladytiamoyo.

Find NJ.com on Facebook.  

Which top returning goal scorer will light up the state again in 2018?

The characters, each 3-feet tall, were on display at a KIDZ BOP concert Sunday at the PNC Arts Center

New Jersey State Police are asking for the public's help as they try to find a sticky-fingered M&M's thief.

No one stole any of the delicious chocolate treats, but someone swiped a pair of 3-foot M&M's character displays from the PNC Bank Arts Center either Sunday or Monday. 

The characters were on display during a KIDZ BOP concert at the Arts Center on Sunday and are thought to have been swiped sometime after the show. They were reported missing Monday.

Bike theft has a happy ending, with one request -- 'pay it forward'

"There were no signs of melted chocolate at the scene, so we're fairly certain they didn't melt," State Police said in a tongue-in-cheek Facebook post. "And no, they didn't quit and walk off the job. And though it's hard to resist grabbing a handful of these delicious treats from a candy bowl, it shouldn't be hard to resist stealing their displays--no matter how cool they may look."

Anyone with information is asked to call Det. Sgt. James Glass at 732-441-4500 ext. 7207. Anonymous tips are welcome.

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

Authorities identified the victim Wednesday as a Long Branch man

Prosecutors say the suspect charged with the murder of a man in Long Branch on Tuesday opened fire as the victim sat in a restaurant next to the gunman's ex-girlfriend.

Miguel Leal Camara, 40, also tried to kill his ex, the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office alleged Wednesday.

Camara, also of Long Branch, walked into Bom DMais Luncheonette and Brazilian-style pizzeria on Broadway at about 3:15 p.m. and approached a table where the victim, 45-year-old Marco Antonio Rosa Moreira, was sitting with Camara's ex-girlfriend, and her family members. 

The Bom DMais Luncheonette and pizzeria. (Google photo) 

The ex-girlfriend had an existing restraining order on file against Camara, according to prosecutor's spokesman Chris Swendeman.

Camara fired right at Moreira, striking him in the head, the prosecutor's office said in a statement. The office did not elaborate on any relationship between Moreira and Camara's ex-girlfriend.

The shooting touched off a struggle between members of the ex-girlfriend's family, and a restaurant customer, who tried to hold Camara until authorities arrived, the office said.

During the struggle, Camara tried to shoot his ex-girlfriend, but she was uninjured.

While Camara was fighting with patrons, someone called 911 and another ran outside and flagged down a Long Branch police officer, who happened to be driving by, the office said.

"That officer immediately responded to the restaurant, and upon entering found several people involved in a violent struggle with Camara, attempting to subdue him and take Camara's gun away from him," the statement said.

Camara then grabbed for - but failed to get - the officer's gun, the office's statement said.

He was eventually taken into custody once other officers arrived on the scene, the office said.

Moreira was pronounced dead at the restaurant at approximately, 3:38 p.m.

Camara is charged with first-degree murder, first-degree attempted murder, multiple firearms charges, including disarming a law Enforcement officer and violating a domestic violence restraining order.

He made an appearance in Superior Court today, Wednesday, and is scheduled to have a detention hearing next week.

Taylor Tiamoyo Harris may be reached at tharris@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @ladytiamoyo.

Find NJ.com on Facebook.

And hopefully not a 'slow burn.'

Vaudeville is the name given to a genre of variety entertainment that flourished in North America from the early 1880s until the early 1930s. Programs could include singers, dancers, actors performing Shakespeare, magicians and the form of entertainment remembered most from the period, comedy.

The Three Stooges clown with model Barbara Bradford Mann in Atlantic City in 1938.courtesy of Kenneth McIntyre 

Acts like the Marx Brothers, Ritz Brothers and George Burns and Gracie Allen got their start in vaudeville, as did the Three Stooges, who would epitomize the genre known as 'slapstick' comedy

Slapstick: split a long stick or strip of wood down the middle but not all the way; when hitting another performer with it, a loud striking sound is made without causing (too much) pain to the strike.  (source: seattleshakespeare.org)

MORE: Vintage photos around New Jersey

Because the comedians were performing to a large audience that might not be maintaining respectful silence, their volume was loud and motions were exaggerated. One of the most well-known comedic motions would be the double-take:

Double-take: looking at something or someone, coming to sudden realization, then looking at it again in surprise.       (source: goodmagic.com)

Hopefully, some of these photos might also make you come to a realization and look again in surprise. And below are links to some other galleries you'll enjoy.

Vintage photos from N.J. that might make you do a double-take

Vintage photos of 'sketchy' N.J. activities

Vintage N.J. photos that deserve a second look

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

The B-25's landing at Monmouth Executive Airport Wednesday was much gentler than some landings veteran John Sacco remembered.

The B-25's landing at Monmouth Executive Airport on Wednesday was much gentler than some landings World War II veteran John Sacco remembered.

The 95-year-old watched as four War World II planes flew overhead and coasted down to the ground, opening their doors for visitors to experience history from the cockpit as part of the Collings Foundation's Wings of Freedom Tour.

"Everything in that era was accelerated, the pilots training was accelerated," Sacco said. "Consequently, the number of the accidents was accelerated."

He enlisted in the Army Air Corp, a precursor to the Air Force, in 1943, soon after turning 20. The Paramus native traveled to Columbia, South Carolina, where the Air Corps formed B-25 Mitchell crews.

"Within three months of leaving (Columbia), we had lost three crews," he said.

Sacco's crew had their fair number of bumps and scrapes before -- and after -- training, he said, but one fiery landing is forever etched in his memory:

It was a typical take off from a runway on Johnson Island in 1944. Sacco, who worked as a waist gunner and radio operator, had gotten in the habit of glancing out of the turret to check if both wheels ascended into the plane after takeoff as they often would malfunction, leaving one wheel down. Instead, Sacco saw flames. One of the engines had caught fire.

John Sacco was a radio operator and waist gunner on a B-25. Collings Foundation brings in B-17 Flying Fortress, B-24 Liberator, B-25 Mitchell, and P-51 Mustang to the Monmouth Jet Center in Wall, NJ. Wednesday, 08/22/2018Ed Murray | NJ Advance Media 

The aircrew managed to make a sharp turn and struggled to get back to the ground.

"It was not if it was going to blow up, it was just when," he said "And I couldn't get out. We were rolling too fast."

Navy men in asbestos suits ran behind the B-25, spraying the craft with fire-suppressing foam.

"They totally disregarded their own lives, just to save us," Sacco said.

The Navy men successfully put out the fire, saving Sacco and his crew. They had to stay on Johnson Island for an extra week while awaiting a replacement plane -- but decades later, on a sunny New Jersey afternoon, Sacco looked back on that week with fondness: he got to eat alongside Navy personnel, and their rations were much tastier than the Air Corps' fare.

As the war planes descended, Sacco's children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren gathered around, asking the patriarch details about the aircraft. Sacco answered them with precision, detailing how many engines were on a B-24, and telling stories of his training adventures on a B-17.

Sacco and his family walked onto the runway, circling the B-25 -- a physical reminder of Sacco's and the nation's past.

The Wings of Freedom Tour will be at the Monmouth Executive Airport until Sunday and at the following New Jersey locations throughout the next few weeks:

• Millville at Millville Municipal Airport from Aug. 29-31
• Cape May at Cape May County Airport and NAS Wildwood Museum from Aug. 31 to Sept. 3.
• Morristown at Morristown Municipal Airport from Sept. 4-7

Cassidy Grom may be reached at cgrom@njadvancemedia.com Follow her at @cassidygrom. Find NJ.com on Facebook.Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips

Do not go out for drinks in Asbury Park before consulting this list. Updated for 2018.

"Yappy Hour," a dog-friendly outdoor bar run by the Wonder Bar in Asbury Park celebrates its 2017 Grand Opening Saturday, April 8. (Bobby Olivier | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)Bobby Olivier | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com 

The 36 midfielders on the verge of big seasons

Coney Waffle has opened a new location in Red Bank, the largest of its four N.J. shops.

Which top returning stat leader will light up the state again in 2018?

Both men died from a single gunshot wound, officials said.

A roommate pulled the trigger on a well-known activist in Long Branch before shooting himself in what authorities say was officially a murder-suicide.

Gerald Scarano, 63, and Harold Kelly, 48, were found dead at Scarano's Ocean Boulevard home on June 12.

The Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office received the final results of the medical examiner's report. It showed that Kelly shot Scarano and then turned the gun on himself, according to spokesman Christopher Swendeman.

Both Scarano and Kelly died from a single gunshot wound, Swendeman said.

Scarano was a well-known real estate agent in the area who was also a frequent presence at the city's council meetings. He also worked on Long Branch Mayor John Pallone's successful campaign.  

According to Scarano's obit, he was a Gay Pride activist, volunteer at the polls and a former member of the planning board and town council.

Born in Morristown, he graduated from Warren Township High School in 1974 and from Newark College of Engineering in 1979. He lived in Greenwich Village in Manhattan for nearly 40 years before returning to live in New Jersey.

Neighbors described him as "very nice guy" who would lend a hand to whoever needed it. 

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

Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips

A new season of the 'Jersey Shore' revival 'Jersey Shore Family Vacation,' filmed in New Jersey and Las Vegas, premieres at 8 p.m. Thursday, August 23 on MTV. The two-hour premiere picks up after Mike 'The Situation' Sorrentino's engagement. Season 2 brings a new baby and a pregnancy announcement.

FEMA representatives are touring New Jersey to assess flood damage after some towns got up to 8 inches of rain, causing millions in damage to hundreds of homes and businesses.

New Jersey resident across five counties who pleaded to Gov. Phil Murphy for aid after flash floods devastated their homes and communities may finally see some relief. 

FEMA representatives are touring Bergen, Essex, Monmouth, Ocean and Passaic counties to assess flood damage after some towns got up to 8 inches of rain during torrential rainstorms less than two weeks ago, causing millions of dollars worth of damage to homes and businesses. 

The state contacted FEMA on Monday to request Preliminary Damage Assessments in the five counties, and tours began Thursday morning.   

Brick residents return to flood-ravaged homes

Murphy declared a state of emergency in those counties where towns like Brick, Howell, Little Falls and Woodland Park saw the worst of the storm.

On Thursday, FEMA made stops in Little Falls and Brick in a joint effort with local emergency management and state officials to asses damages. 

FEMA touring Little Falls flood damage [?]@News12NJ[?] pic.twitter.com/HQv4DwEb17

-- Karen Lee (@KarenLeeNews) August 23, 2018

"If the damages are determined to be of a magnitude beyond state and local resources, the governor may request federal assistance in designated areas to assist in recovery," said FEMA Region II External Affairs Deputy Director Lauren Lefebvre.

There is no concrete formula to determine if residents in those counties will be approved for individual federal assistance, Lefebvre said. 

Six different factors are considered when FEMA asses damages - concentration of damage, trauma, special population (for example, large numbers of low income families, elderly residents or high unemployment among the local population), the amount of voluntary agency assistance in that area, how many properties have insurance, and the average amount of individual assistance provided by the state.

"FEMA is there to verify that they are seeing the same damage as the state. Once those factors are assessed, we will go from there. But this is the first step in that process," she said. 

Here's how you can help the N.J. residents devastated by flash floods

Assistance to cover damage to municipal-owned property has not been requested, but there has been request for an assessment by the Small Business Administration. 

State officials planned to take the teams to visit Ocean, Essex and Passaic counties on Thursday. On Friday, they will tour Bergen and Monmouth counties, according to Sgt. Jeff Flynn of the New Jersey State Police. Those interested in donating or volunteering can register through helpnjnow.org.

Alexis Johnson may be reached at ajohnson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @alexisjreports. Find nj.com on Facebook.

New Jersey law requires that taxpayers in most districts cover the cost of transporting students to schools, including private, religious schools.

Best Buy has 28 other locations in New Jersey including stores in Brick and Manalapan

The Best Buy store in Howell will close in November after the electronics retailer decided against renewing its lease, a company spokesman confirmed Thursday.

Best Buy Spokesman Kevin Flanagan said the store will close on Nov. 3 and that the decision was based on the company's teams evaluating the store's performance.

"Decisions like this are always tough," Flanagan said. "By no means is this like the situation where other retailers are closing stores en masse."

He said the store was not performing as well as nearby Best Buys in Manalapan and Brick.

"Those stores have a better layout for customers and have a better shopping assortment," he said.

Best Buy has 28 other locations in New Jersey, including the Brick and Manalapan ones, which are less than 12 miles from the Howell store.

Sears, Kmart to close 46 more stores including 1 in N.J.

Best Buy is not planning another closures in New Jersey in the immediate future, the spokesman said.

Flanagan said all of Howell store's full-time employees and part time employees will be offered a chance to work at another Best Buy or will be offered a severance package if they choose to no longer work for the company. The store has 30 full-time employees and some part-time employees, but Flanagan said he did not know the exact number of part-timers.

Earlier this year, Best Buy announced the closure of all 250 of its smaller mobile stores by May 31. That included five locations in New Jersey.

The company announced better than expected earnings in May for the first quarter. Best Buy has more than 1,000 stores in North America.

Four people looking to repair second and vacation homes using Hurricane Sandy relief funds were charged with defrauding the state and FEMA.

Four people looking to repair second and vacation homes using Hurricane Sandy relief funds were charged with defrauding the state and FEMA, New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir Grewal announced Thursday.

Rhea Jolly, 61, of Toms River (top left); Ralph Lubosco, 66, (top right); Eileen Lubosco, 67, of Cream Ridge (bottom left); and, Peter Raia Jr., 51, of Lodi (bottom right). 

Rhea Jolly, 61, of Toms River; Peter Raia, Jr., 51, of Lodi; and, Ralph Lubosco, 66, and Eileen Lubosco, 67, both of Cream Ridge, were charged Wednesday with theft by deception after they allegedly filed fraudulent applications for FEMA assistance and state grants, according to a news release.

Raia also applied for a low-interest U.S. Small Business Administration loan and was additionally charged with unsworn falsification, it was stated in the release.

In order to qualify for FEMA relief, applicants are required show that their damaged property was their primary residence when the storm hit on Oct. 29, 2012. Secondary or vacation homes are also not eligible SBA loans, the release stated.

Jolly received $156,636 in funds to repair her Toms River home when she actually listed another home in Ocean Gate as her primary residence, according to the news release.

The Luboscos got $134,981 from the state and federal government after they said their "long-term rental property" in Manahawkin was their primary residence and not their home in Cream Ridge, it was stated.

100th person charged as N.J. hits 'sad milestone'

Raia was awarded $37,822 in relief funds after he said his "weekend property" in Seaside Heights was his primary residence and not his home in Lodi, according to the release.

Grewal said 120 people have been charged with similar offenses since 2014. They are allegedly responsible for diverting more than $8 million in relief funds, he added.

"Any fraud against public assistance programs is deplorable, but these thefts were especially egregious because they diverted funds intended for victims left homeless by one of the most devastating storms in New Jersey history," Grewal said. "We have recovered over $2.2 million through these prosecutions and we also have sent a strong message that should deter this type of fraud during disaster relief efforts."

Chris Sheldon may be reached at csheldon@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @chrisrsheldon Find NJ.com on Facebook.