It was reportedly brought to a parents' meeting for the basketball travel team.

A former NFL football player and Matawan High School standout was arrested on Monday for having a sword during an altercation at the township's middle school last month, police said.

John "Charlie" Rogers Jr., 42, was charged with making terroristic threats, stalking and weapons offenses. He was taken to the Monmouth County jail in Freehold following his arrest.

Aberdeen police Chief John Powers said Rogers had an altercation with an acquaintance at the Matawan-Aberdeen Middle School on Oct. 5. Rogers also had a sword with him, Powers said.

Powers declined to give additional information about the incident.

The Asbury Park Press, which first reported the news of the arrest Tuesday morning, said the altercation happened at an event for parents of a local youth basketball travel team.

After starring at Georgia Tech, Rogers played five years in the NFL with the Seattle Seahawks, Miami Dolphins and Buffalo Bills.

He was fired from a job as the offensive coordinator at St. John Vianney High School in Holmdel after the Press published a profanity-laced voicemail he left a parent when he was coaching youth football. 

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

He was charged by federal prosecutors in June, almost five years after his arrest on state charges.

A one-time Howell Public Schools IT worker faces what could be a stiff federal prison sentence after admitting Tuesday to having downloaded child pornography, federal prosecutors said.

Matthew Wolny. (Ocean County Prosecutor's Office)

The U.S. Attorney's Office had charged Matthew Wolny in June, almost five years after the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office first arrested Wolny on charges of manufacturing and distributing child porn.

Wolny, most recently of Egg Harbor Township, pleaded guilty Tuesday before U.S. District Judge Brian R. Martinotti in Trenton to a single county of receiving child pornography, prosecutors said in a statement.

Investigators obtained a search warrant for Wolny's home in Jackson in September 2013 after tracing explicit images of child abuse to his IP address over a file-sharing network, according to a federal criminal complaint.

Wolny, now 40, tried to flee when officers arrived, the complaint says, but was quickly arrested. A search of seven electronic devices found in his home turned up 2,000 images and approximately 1,600 videos of child sexual abuse, investigators said.

Wolny, who had worked for the school district since 2000, was immediately suspended after his arrest, school officials told The Star-Ledger at the time.

He could no longer be located in state pension records as of Tuesday.

Wolny's defense attorney, Jack Wenik, did not immediately respond to a request Tuesday afternoon for comment on the guilty plea.

The U.S. Attorney's Office said Wolny faces a maximum potential sentence of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. He's scheduled to be sentenced by Martinotti on April 8, 2019.

Thomas Moriarty may be reached at tmoriarty@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @ThomasDMoriarty. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

"Bill O'Reilly is a bully who attempted to use the legal system to generate publicity for himself, the former politician's lawyer said.

Former Fox News host Bill O'Reilly has dropped his defamation lawsuit against a former state assemblyman over a Facebook post about O'Reilly's alleged sexual harassment of women.

U.S. District Judge Joseph Bianco's order last week dismissing the case in the Eastern District of New York came two days after lawyers for O'Reilly gave notice he was dropping his claims against former Democratic assemblyman, Michael J. Panter.

O'Reilly had filed notice of the lawsuit last year in New York Supreme Court in Nassau County after Panter posted on Facebook about an ex-girlfriend, whom Panter said had settled harassment claims against the television host.

Panter, a Monmouth County resident who served in the state Assembly from 2004 to 2008, said O'Reilly had also contacted his ex seeking information to discredit the accusations of another woman.

O'Reilly, who on Twitter accused Panter of "lying" about him, had sought at least $5 million in damages for "the public hatred, ridicule, disgrace, and permanent harm to his professional and personal reputations" he claimed were caused by the Facebook post.

"In my opinion, Bill O'Reilly is a bully who attempted to use the legal system to generate publicity for himself and to scare a good and decent man into retracting his support for O'Reilly's accusers," attorney Lisa Bloom, whose firm represented Panter, said in a statement issued Tuesday.

"He failed," Bloom said. "The bully backed down when Michael Panter and our legal team stood up to him. We hope this case teaches everyone to stand up for their rights, even against powerful multi-millonaires. The legal system is here for all of us, regardless of wealth or power."

Panter, in his own lengthy statement on Facebook, said O'Reilly had used the courts "as his own public relations tool, hoping those challenges would scare me away."

"They didn't," Panter said.

O'Reilly's attorneys did not immediately respond Wednesday morning to a request for comment on his behalf.

The former television host never filed a formal complaint against Panter, whose attorneys indicated in court filings last month they intended to seek the dismissal of the case.

O'Reilly, host of The O'Reilly Factor, was fired by Fox News in April 2017 after multiple sexual harassment allegations against him were publicized.

Thomas Moriarty may be reached at tmoriarty@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @ThomasDMoriarty. Find NJ.com on Facebook. 

Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips

A public outcry over beach access and environmental concerns has prompted reconsideration of a 2002 redevelopment plan.

When sun worshippers, homebuyers, restaurateurs and other investors began realizing that Asbury Park had a perfectly good beach barely an hour from the Holland Tunnel, with vintage arcades and a rock 'n roll shrine to boot, city officials adopted a Waterfront Redevelopment Plan in 2002 to guide what would finally prove to be the faded tourist town's long-awaited resurgence.

After 16 years of new restaurants, new condos and increasingly crowded streets, beaches and boardwalks, that plan now seems almost comically outdated. 

It's precisely because Asbury Park has changed so dramatically since 2002 that the city council approved a resolution last week demanding that the waterfront's designated developer, Manhattan-based iStar, halt work on a boardwalk replacement project that was included in the redevelopment plan and reconsider other components of the plan that critics say run counter to environmental concerns and the city's core value of inclusiveness. 

The Nov. 8 resolution cites the public's opposition to the plan over "environmental concerns, public access, loss of public beach, loss of public space, and loss of public boardwalk," as cause to order the developer to "cease and desist" the project, and redesign the Boardwalk Improvement Plan.

Kathleen Mumma, an Asbury Park resident and member of the newly formed Save Asbury's Waterfront coalition opposing the boardwalk project and others pitched by iStar under the redevelopment plan, said heavy equipment was removed from the site a day after the council adopted the resolution. 

"We are happy," said Mumma, expressing cautious optimism. "After every mountain there's another mountain."

A lawyer for iStar who was at the Nov. 8 meeting, Jennifer P. Smith, did not respond to requests for comment. A spokeswoman for the company later contacted NJ Advance Media, asking that questions be submitted in writing, then failed to answer them.

The demand was prompted by an outcry from the coalition, which includes residents and advocates for the environment and beach access, who were alarmed by iStar's removal of a four-block stretch of boardwalk last month between Convention Hall and the city's northern border with Loch Arbour, and by other waterfront projects permitted under the redevelopment plan.

IStar had been working on a project to replace the straight, 25-foot-wide boardwalk with a narrower walkway that would meander through an area of natural and man-made dunes and link to a paved parking lot containing more than 100 spaces where a gravel lot has been.

Apart from the boardwalk project, the coalition also opposes a 15-unit townhouse development known as Bradley Cove, as well as a private beachfront pool club. Both are projects envisioned by iStar under the redevelopment plan that coalition members say would threaten the environment and beach access.

"The old plan is (16) years old, and should be reviewed in light of Asbury Park's needs today, and in a future informed by Sandy and climate change among other things," American Littoral Society director Tim Dillingham, a coalition member, said in an email, referring to the waterfront's devastation during Hurricane Sandy in 2012.

"We want to ensure broad public access and use along and to the beach is protected, and enhanced where possible. Also, environmental impacts on Deal Lake from stormwater, and the dunes and beach need to be addressed."

Deputy Mayor Amy Quinn, who voted in favor of the resolution with Mayor John Moor and the city's three other council members, said Monday that the city had reached out to iStar to set up a meeting on revisiting the development plan, but had not heard back from the company. 

Quinn could not say just what the city would do if the developer defied the council's demand to halt work or insisted on its right to proceed with projects outlined under the redevelopment plan.

"I don't know," Quinn said. "Do I want to spend taxpayer dollars and get involved in a lawsuit that we may lose?" 

Quinn said what's happening on Asbury Park's north end was symptomatic of the city's steady growth of the past two decades, a process Quinn referred to as a "renaissance." Others call it gentrification. 

Some of the very things that have helped drive Asbury Park's resurgence have now been threatened by the rising property values, development and exclusivity that have followed: the city's art and music scene -- anchored by the Stone Pony and its reputation as a rock 'n roll cradle for Bruce Springsteen and other acts -- and its diversity of races, socioeconomic levels and sexual preferences. 

Other recent manifestations of the same dynamic have included a failed attempt by activists from the city's predominantly African American west side to change to a ward-based city council to enhance representation of a part of town that has lagged behind the waterfront and downtown sections in the city's boom, and a controversial ban on "aggressive panhandling" approved by the council but opposed by civil libertarians. 

"Yes, I think there are some growing pains," Quinn acknowledged. "I think Asbury Park has gone through a revitalization, and what we want to make sure of as we go through this renaissance is that the people who have remained in Asbury Park are part of it." 

Steve Strunsky may be reached at sstrunsky@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @SteveStrunsky. Find NJ.com on Facebook

The K-9 officer, Kane, walked out of an animal hospital with a large escort of fellow officers

A police dog that was stabbed Monday as he tried to take down a man armed with a knife in a Mantoloking home was released from the hospital on Wednesday morning. 

Kane, a K-9 with the Ocean County Sheriff's Department, walked out the Red Bank Veterinary Hospital in Tinton Falls to a large gathering of law enforcement officers from Ocean County.

Kane was stabbed Monday morning when his handler released him during a confrontation between a group of officers and a suspect wanted for assaulting a woman in Sayreville on Sunday. 

The suspect, Edward M. Walsh, of Manahawkin, stabbed Kane and was then shot by police, according to the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office. Walsh was also found with a self-inflicted stab wound on his neck, authorities said. 

Walsh, 39, was pronounced dead at the scene by the Ocean County medical examiner. 

An autopsy is being done to determine the exact cause of death. 

In September 2014, Kane received a protective vest from Vested Interest K9s, which donates K-9 vests for police dogs around the country in memory of slain K-9 Kye in Oklahoma City. 

Kane, a Belgian Malinois, joined the Ocean County Sheriff's Department in 2012. He is certified in patrol, tracking and narcotics. 

Kane's handler, Sheriff's Officer James Kohut, also suffered non-serious injuries in Monday's incident. 

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

John "Charlie" Rogers Jr., 42, grabbed the sword during an event at Matawan-Aberdeen Middle School.

A former NFL football player and Matawan Regional High School standout got a sword out of his car during an altercation at a youth event and threatened to kill a parent and his children, according to a police report.

John "Charlie" Rogers Jr., 42, was charged with making terroristic threats, stalking and weapons offenses following the Oct. 5 altercation at the Matawan-Aberdeen Middle School.

The incident happened in the rear parking lot of the school in the presence of children, according to the affidavit of probable cause.

Rogers, who played five seasons in the NFL from 1999-2003, was also under the influence of drugs or alcohol during the altercation, the report states.

Aberdeen police Chief John Powers said Rogers turned himself in on Monday and was taken to the Monmouth County jail in Freehold. He was released on Tuesday with certain conditions, according to a Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office spokesman.

The arrest comes six weeks after an Asbury Park Press report revealed that Rogers left a profanity-laced voicemail in September to the parent of a player. The player had left a Matawan youth football team, where Rogers was a coach, for a team in East Brunswick.

Following the report, Rogers was banned from the Jersey Shore American Youth Football league and fired from his job as the offensive coordinator at St. John Vianney High School in Holmdel.

In 2003, Rogers was sued by an Old Bridge police officer after he resisted arrest following a fight in a gentlemen's club parking lot on Route 35. Rogers, then a 26-year-old wide receiver with the Buffalo Bills, was charged with aggravated assault, making terroristic threats, resisting arrest and disorderly conduct, according to a report in the local newspaper.

It's unclear what the result of the charges and the lawsuit was. 

Before he was drafted in 1999 by the Seattle Seahawks, Rogers played football at Georgia Tech. He also played for the Houston Texans and Miami Dolphins. 

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 winter weather advisory will be in effect from Thursday morning to Friday morning in northern and central counties.

The National Weather Service issued a winter weather advisory as a strong coastal storm moves toward the state on Thursday. 

A winter weather advisory will be in effect from 10 a.m. Thursday to 7 a.m. Friday in Sussex, Warren, Morris, Hunterdon, Somerset, Middlesex and Mercer counties. 

The advisory means that periods of snow, limited visibility and freezing rain will make for a messy commute. 

The weather service also issued a wind advisory in effect from 1 p.m. to 11 p.m. Thursday in southern counties, including Monmouth, Ocean and Burlington. 

Sophie Nieto-Munoz may be reached at snietomunoz@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her at @snietomunoz. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips

The 2015 accident claimed the life of an 80-year-old Wall Township resident whose car slid down an embankment at the Connecticut marina.

The family of an 80-year-old New Jersey man who drove into a Connecticut marina and drowned is suing the town of Greenwich.

The Greenwich Time reports that the lawsuit filed by Patrick Conroy's family says a wall should have been in place at the Cos Cob Marina to prevent serious accidents. Family members who witnessed the death say they suffered emotional distress.

Conroy was driving a van during a family boating trip in September 2015 when the vehicle slid down an embankment into the water. The Wall, New Jersey man drowned.

Town attorneys say in court papers that human error was the primary cause of the crash. The town says Conroy's son allowed his father to drive "a vehicle he was unfamiliar with."

The jury trial could begin in April.

A Toms River man who went missing while on vacation in Europe was found in a German hospital Tuesday after a three-week search, but friends and family here were still searching for answers.

A Toms River man who went missing while on vacation in Europe was found in a German hospital Tuesday after a three-week search, but friends and family here were still searching for answers.

Joram Heilbronner, 64, was located in a Nuremberg hospital and was in critical, but stable condition Wednesday, after he injured his leg during the trip and developed sepsis, according to Rabbi David Amar, of Congregation Ahavat Olam in Howell, where Heilbronner serves as president.

Joram Heilbronner, 64, of Toms River (Courtesy Rabbi David Amar) 

"They're slowly waking him up out of an induced coma," Amar told NJ Advance Media Wednesday evening. "He told us that he injured his leg when he first got to Germany."

Amar originally announced Heilbronner's disappearance on the congregation's Facebook page on Nov. 5.

Heilbronner planned the the trip abroad after he was invited to take part in his former employer's 25th anniversary celebration in Athens, Greece, Amar told NJ Advance Media.

The rabbi said his wife exchanged text messages with Heilbronner about synagogue business on Oct. 19, a day after the Ocean County man returned to Munich following a four-day stay in Greece for the celebration, and that nobody had heard from him since.

The rabbi said he reported Heilbronner missing to Tom River Police on Nov. 4, but Chief Mitch Little said last week that he was unable to locate hum even after even after he contacted several hospitals in Munich and entered him into the National Crime Information Center as a missing person.

However, on Tuesday, Amar learned that someone had checked Heilbronner into the Nuremberg hospital on Oct. 23 but that nobody there tried to reach out to anyone in the states or the U.S. Consulate in Germany. He has not been able to find out who dropped him off at the hospital. 

Amar said his friend does not have any family in the U.S. but that he has a brother, Dan Heilbronner, who lives in Georgia.

After finding Heilbronner, Amar said he contacted his brother in Israel who then got in touch with a "team that specializes in finding people" and they filed a missing person's report there and "pushed it through to the U.S. Consulate in Germany" to try to find more information.

"I got on the phone with them, asked them some questions and they told me a few things but they said they needed to speak to his brother, so I connected them," Amar said.

The rabbi said he and Heilbronner's brother, Dan Heilbronner, were planning to travel to Germany in the next few days to "give him some comfort."

A GoFundMe page was set up to help pay for Dan and Amar's travel expenses, and as of 6 p.m. Wednesday, it was about $2,000 short of its $7,000 goal.

Amar said he wants to find out who brought Heilbronner to the German hospital and why nobody in the U.S. or the consulate was contacted sooner.

"I'm going to stay on top of this," he said. "I will not leave one stone unturned."

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

Photos of dozens of signings plus sport-by-sport lists

(Please refresh for updated photos over the few days)

The time is here for high school athletes to make it official.

The stars of so many sports from New Jersey high schools go from recruits to signees on Wednesday, National Signing Day for the fall's early signing period.

The fall signing period runs through Nov. 21 for Division 1 boys and girls basketball and to Aug. 1 of 2019 for other Division 1 and 2 sports. This is for all sports with the exception of football, which has its early signing period from Dec. 19 to Dec. 21.

Athletes who have made verbal commitments to a university can officially accept a scholarship by signing with their chosen school during these periods.

We plan to bring you stories, photos and videos from around the state of Signing Day ceremonies. As such, we invite all athletes, administrators, parents and other supporters of the high school programs and athletes to send us anything you would like to see included in our coverage by filling out this form.

SEND SIGNINGS: NJ.com will post signings and Signing Day photos

A breakdown of the state's student-athletes who are expected to sign, starting Wednesday.

Please refresh throughout the day for updates on signings, photos and videos.

CEREMONY FOR RANNEY SCHOOL BOYS BASKETBALL STARS (W/PHOTOS)

TRENTON CATHOLIC BASKETBALL DUO ANNOUNCE PLANS

WRESTLING

BOYS BASKETBALL

GIRLS BASKETBALL

BOYS SOCCER

GIRLS SOCCER

BOYS LACROSSE

GIRLS LACROSSE

BASEBALL

SOFTBALL

BOYS X-C/TRACK

GIRLS X-C/TRACK

BOYS SWIMMING

GIRLS SWIMMING

FIELD HOCKEY

BOYS AND GIRLS TENNIS

GIRLS VOLLEYBALL

GYMNASTICS

GOLF/CREW

The man was backing out of his garage when his car careened out of control and ended up in a swimming pool

A Holmdel man escaped injury Friday morning when his car went out of control and landed in his neighbor's swimming pool, police said.

The accident occurred about 8:10 a.m. on Seven Oaks Drive when the unidentified man lost control of the car while backing out of his garage.

The car went down an embankment, through two fences and crashed into the in-ground pool.

The driver was unable to get out of the car until police arrived.

"Responding officers freed the driver through a hatchback," police said in a statement.

Members of the Holmdel Rescue Squad arrived in minutes, but the man was not injured, police said.

Car into swimming pool in #holmdel. Here's the video. @News12NJ @CarissaLawson @KristinaBehr @JGodynick @OhDonTraffic the driver (or at that point "passenger") was not hurt. pic.twitter.com/h8HOR8mtsj

-- Jim Murdoch News12NJ (@ReporterJim) November 16, 2018

Holmdel police said officers removed the man from the hatchback of the car after the vehicle careened out of control into a neighbor's swimming pool. (Holmdel Rescue Squad) 

Anthony G. Attrino may be reached at tattrino@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyAttrino. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

The 18-year-old man was shot in the back in Long Branch on Thursday afternoon and now police are looking for the alleged shooter.

Police were searching Friday for a man they said shot and critically injured an 18-year-old man in Long Branch.

Marc Zayas, 18, of Long Branch, was charged with attempted murder and weapons offenses after the Neptune resident was shot in the back, according a release from the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office.

Marc Zayas, 18, of Long Branch (Photo: Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office) 

The Long Branch Police were called to 63 Morris Ave. Thursday just after noon, found the man and he was taken to the hospital where he was in critical, but stable condition as of 5:45 p.m. Friday, officials said.

Long Branch Police Chief Jason Roebuck called the shooting an "isolated incident" on Facebook and added that schools in the area were placed on a temporary lockdown for a "short period" on Thursday.

"There was no threat to the students and this was just a precautionary measure,"  Roebuck said.

The Long Branch Police and prosecutors said they investigated and charged Zayas with the shooting and were looking for the public's help in finding him.

"We are now asking the community for their help, in bringing Marc Zayas to justice," Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher Gramiccioni said in the release.

Gramiccioni said police were prepared to charge anyone who tried to stop them from finding and arresting Zayas. 

Anyone with information about the case was asked to call Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office Det. Wayne Raynor at 800-533-7443 or Long Branch Police Det. Nicholas Romano at 732-547-3949.

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

Don Bosco vs. Bergen Catholic and more football; 8 soccer state finals, live & on-demand

What a weekend for watching N.J. championships on NJ.com via NJ High School Sports Live.

We have N.J.'s biggest football rivalry - playoff style - as No. 7 Don Bosco Prep visits No. 1 Bergen Catholic in a Non-Public, Group 4 semifinal, as well as the other N-P, G4 semifinal and a public sectional final, all part of the NJSIAA/Rothman Orthopaedics football championships.

And we have all eight soccer state championship games - four boys finals on Saturday and four girls finals on Sunday, live from Kean University.

All of these games are available live or on-demand on any device.  The full schedule is below, with links to the broadcasts.

Plus, make an important note: NJ High School Sports Live will also be broadcasting all 13 of the upcoming NJSIAA/Rothman Orthopaedics football bowl and championship games at MetLife Stadium the following two weeks. 

Links to this weekend's broadcasts:

FOOTBALL

SATURDAY, NOV. 17
Don Bosco at Bergen Catholic, 1 p.m.
St. Peter's Prep at St. Joseph (Mont.), 1 p.m. 

SUNDAY, NOV. 18
Ramapo at River Dell, 1 p.m. (rescheduled from Friday)

SOCCER

SATURDAY, NOV. 17 at Kean University
Boys Group finals

Group 1 final: New Providence vs. Glassboro, 12:30 p.m.
Group 2 final: Glen Rock vs. Holmdel, 3 p.m.
Group 3 final: Millburn vs. Ocean Twp., 5:30 p.m.
Group 4 final: Morris Knolls vs. Washington Twp., 8 p.m.

SUNDAY, NOV. 18 at Kean University
Girls Group finals

Group 4 final: Bridgewater-Raritan vs. Eastern, 10 a.m.
Group 1 final: Glen Ridge vs. Audubon, 12:30 p.m.
Group 2 final: Ramsey vs. Gov. Livingston, 3 p.m.
Group 3 final: Northern Highlands vs. Moorestown, 5:30 p.m.

Andrew Koob can be reached at akoob@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @AndrewKoobHS. Like NJ.com High School Sports on Facebook. 

Ferry rushed to help after mayday call Saturday.

The U.S. Coast Guard - aided by a nearby ferry - rescued four people from a boat taking on water before it capsized near Sandy Hook Saturday, officials said.

A mayday call from the 21-foot pleasure boat came in shortly before 4 p.m., according to officials. Hearing the mayday broadcast, the SeaStreak ferry arrived at the scene within less than five minutes.

A Coast Guard Station Sandy Hook response boat soon arrived and brought the four people aboard their boat.

There were no injuries and all of the people rescued were wearing life jackets, according to the Coast Guard.

A ferry passenger said he witnessed the rescue effort.

"13 years riding #Seastreak #Ferry. First time stopping for boat sinking. Coast Guard did their thing. All safe," rider Pete Jones said on Twitter.

13 years riding #Seastreak #Ferry. First time stopping for boat sinking. Coast Guard did their thing. All safe. #NJ pic.twitter.com/W7fG0oNqpN

-- Pete Jones (@pjones4) November 17, 2018

"The number one cause of boating fatalities is drowning, most often by sudden, unexpected entry into the water," the Coast Guard said in a statement. "Wearing a life jacket increases the chances of surviving a boating accident."

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

Dogs and cats throughout New Jersey need homes.

Thanksgiving is coming. And as with any holiday - and the celebrations that go along with a holiday - the festivities and pets may not necessarily mix.

Here are some reminders to help keep your pet from becoming a medical emergency:

* It's not unusual for emergency veterinarians to treat dogs for a chicken or turkey bone they have swallowed. Dogs getting a hold of bones can lead to major problems. Make sure to keep them and finished plates where pets can't reach them.

* Dogs are naturally going to want to participate in the vittles at a gathering and some folks give them as treats, but be aware of things a pet can't eat. Foods that can sicken dogs include: avocados, apple seeds, caffeinated beverages or alcohol, onions, potatoes, grapes, tomatoes and chocolate.

* Comings and goings are a natural part of parties, whether its guests arriving or perhaps people stepping outside for a smoke. Pets that live indoors may be excited by all the company ... and bolt out an open door. If your pet isn't supposed to go out, make sure you and your guests don't leave doors open for very long.

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

Some gripping videos of police officers caught in action

Ninety percent of people with close contact with an infected person will likely get the illness

As Lakewood's confirmed measles cases rose to 14 this week, health officials warned the public that most of those not vaccinated will develop the illness.

A person who acquired measles while traveling internationally exposed others to the infection in Ocean County between Oct. 13 and Nov. 9, state officials have said.

"If you have been exposed, you are at risk if you have not been vaccinated or have not had measles," the state health department said in a statement.

"Ninety percent of people with close contact with an infected person will get measles if they are not vaccinated," the health department said.

Dr. Manal Youssef-Bessler of the Infectious Disease Center Of New Jersey in Whippany said Monday infants too young for vaccination and those with compromised immune systems are among those most at risk.

"It's crucial that people get vaccinated," Youssef-Bessler said. "It is highly contagious and it can be spread from three feet away - touching, sneezing, coughing."

Youssef-Bessler said people who are have compromised immune systems, including those with cancer receiving chemotherapy, are typically not eligible for the vaccine.

"So it's very important that the immunocompromised are not exposed," she said.

She said pediatricians typically do not vaccinate babies until they are at least 12 months old, which places them at high risk when around an infected person.

Anyone infected could develop symptoms as late as Nov. 30, the state said.

Last week, the Motor Vehicle Commission closed an MVC office on Hooper Avenue in Toms River after health officials warned that anyone in the location on between 2:30 p.m. and 5:15 p.m. on Nov. 7 was exposed to the infection. The office reopened on Monday.

Measles symptoms include rash, high fever, cough, runny nose and red, watery eyes.

The first Lakewood case involved a person who had traveled to Israel and contracted the disease. It was reported to the Ocean County Health Department Oct. 26. 

Anyone who suspects they were exposed to the disease should call a health care provider before going to a medical office or emergency department so special arrangements can be made for an evaluation. This will also protect other people and medical staff from possible infection.

Measles is extremely contagious. As NJ monitors an outbreak in Ocean County, please make sure your family is protected! #vaccineswork pic.twitter.com/yoWpNTABCQ

-- EssexMetro Immunizes (@EssexMetroIC) November 9, 2018

Health officials released a list of locations where people may have been exposed to the infection:

Schul Satmar, 405 Forest Avenue, Lakewood, NJ 08701

• October 13- October 21 between 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. daily
• October 28- November 1 between 9:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. daily
• October 28- October 31 between 6:30 p.m. and 12:30 a.m. (morning of Nov. 1)
• November 1 between 6:30 p.m. and 10:00 p.m.

Eat a Pita, 116 Clifton Ave, Lakewood, NJ 08701

• October 15 between 7:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m.

CHEMED Health Center, 1771 Madison Ave, Lakewood, NJ 08701

• October 17 between 3:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.
• October 18 between 10:45 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.
• October 30 between 9:20 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.
• October 31 between 8:45 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.
• November 1 from 10:15 p.m. to close

NPGS, 231 Main St, Lakewood, NJ 08701

• October 25 between 9:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m.
• October 29 between 2:15 p.m. and 4:45 p.m.

Pizza Plus, 241 4th St, Lakewood, NJ 08701

• October 28 between 12:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.

Office of Dr. Eli Eilenberg, 150 James St, Lakewood, NJ 08701

• October 31 between 11:15 a.m. and 2:45 p.m.
• November 1 between 12:00 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.

Four Corners Bagel & Cafe, 150 James St, Lakewood, NJ 08701

• October 31 between 12:30 p.m. and 3:00 p.m.

Fountain Ballroom, 725 Vassar Ave, Lakewood, NJ 08701

• October 30- October 31 between 6:00 p.m. and 1:30 a.m.

Mesivta of Eatontown, 1300 New Hampshire Ave, Lakewood, NJ 08701 and 107 East Harvard St, Lakewood, NJ 08701

• November 6- November 9

Bais Shalom AKA Alumni, 345 9th St, Lakewood, NJ 08701

• November 6 between 1:15 p.m. and 6:45 p.m.

Motor Vehicle Commission, 1861 Hooper Ave, Toms River, NJ 08753

• November 7 between 2:30 p.m. and 5:15 p.m.

Anthony G. Attrino may be reached at tattrino@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyAttrino. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Gov. Phil Murphy ate dinner at a four-star restaurant in Middletown during the storm Thursday. Watch video

As thousands of New Jerseyans continued to be stuck for hours in traffic while trying to get home during Thursday's night's storm, Gov. Phil Murphy was unwinding with dinner at an upscale restaurant in Middletown. 

After visiting the Statewide Traffic Management Center in Woodbridge around 7 p.m., the governor visited Restaurant Nicholas, a four-star restaurant on Route 35 just across the Navisink River from Red Bank. It's about a mile from Murphy's Middletown home.

Murphy ordered at the restaurant's bar and then went home, spokesman Mahen Gunaratna said Tuesday. 

The governor's visit to the restaurant during the storm was first reported Tuesday morning by NorthJersey.com.

"The Governor ate dinner late Thursday night near his home after being stuck on the road for several hours during the storm," Gunaratna said in an emailed statement. "Earlier in the night, he held a conference call with cabinet officials on the storm response and visited the Statewide Traffic Management Center to monitor conditions."

Listen to NJ.com on Alexa, or via a daily podcast

While Murphy was dining at the restaurant in an area that was largely spared the effects of a storm that dropped as much as 10 inches of snow on parts of the state, commuters continued to endure an absurd ordeal that in some cases lasted 12 hours or more.

The Port Authority Bus Terminal was essentially shut down, many motorists had to abandon their vehicles on the side of highways, and some students had to sleep at school in West Orange because their buses couldn't reach them. 

State Police responded to about 1,000 crashes Thursday and assisted about 1,900 motorists. 

At a press conference the next day, Murphy blamed the state's poor response to the storm in part on weather forecasters who he said didn't give an accurate picture of its severity.

On Sunday, Murphy ordered hundreds of plows to be in position to deal with a clipper system that was expected to drop an inch or less of snow in Northwestern New Jersey. Plows were seen in places like Monmouth County even though no snow was forecast for that area.  

On his call-in radio show Monday night, the governor vowed the state's response would be much better the next time snow falls.

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

Matt Arco may be reached at marco@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MatthewArco or Facebook.

The fire broke out around 12:45 p.m. at a massive 15-year-old home on Willow Brook Road. Detectives from the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office major crimes unit are on the scene.

Firefighters are battling a multi-alarm blaze Tuesday with multiple fatalities at a mansion in Colts Neck, authorities said.

The fire broke out around 12:45 p.m. at a massive 15-year-old home on Willow Brook Road. Detectives from the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office major crimes unit are on the scene.

#MCPONJ is on scene at a fire in Colts Neck with multiple fatalities. Firefighters still working on fire. Stay tuned for more details.

-- Monmouth Prosecutor (@MonCoProsecutor) November 20, 2018

Multiple fire companies from surrounding towns as far away as Spring Lake have responded to help battle the blaze. Additional details were not immediately available.

Property records show the house is owned by Keith Caneiro, 50, and Jennifer Caneiro, 45. 

I'm being told multiple fatalities in a fire at a large house in Colts Neck. Stay tuned for more details. pic.twitter.com/6dFGoDWXT8

-- Alex Napoliello (@alexnapoNJ) November 20, 2018

The house is set on a one-acre property adjacent to a 9-acre farm.

Emergency vehicles block the road lead to the fatal house fire in Colts Neck on Tuesday afternoon.Alex Napoliello | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com 

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

Caneiro, 50, his wife Jennifer Caneiro, 45, and two of their children died in an apparent quadruple homicide at the family's sprawling estate on Willow Brook Road on Tuesday.

Keith Caneiro grew up in Brooklyn and was the best man in his brother's wedding.

Caneiro, whom a source says was found dead outside his Colt's Neck mansion on Tuesday, was the owner of a technology firm and a pest control company in Asbury Park, according to public records and social media. He also dabbled in real estate.

Caneiro, 50, his wife Jennifer Caneiro, 45, and two of their children died in an apparent quadruple homicide at the family's sprawling estate on Willow Brook Road, discovered after a fire swept through the home, a law enforcement source told NJ Advance Media 

The source said that Keith Caneiro, who was found on the home's front lawn, had suffered a gunshot wound that did not appear to be self-inflicted.

Keith and Jennifer CaneiroKeith Caneiro's Facebook page 

Keith Caneiro is listed as the owner of both the technology firm, Square One, and EcoStar Pest Management in Asbury Park, working both businesses with his brother. 

He had operated Square One, in Asbury Park since 1987, according to his LinkedIn profile. 

Records show Caneiro also has an active real estate license. A professional real estate website registered with his name as the web address advertises an affiliation with Keller Williams Realty.

Jennifer Caneiro grew up on Staten Island as Jennifer Karidis, her maiden name, records show. 

Photos of the Caneiros on Facebook show a happy family playing in the kitchen, relaxing with loved ones and enjoying trips overseas.

Caneiro's brother, Paul Caneiro, of Ocean Township, is involved in both the technology firm and the pest control operation, according to Jared DeVincenzo, who works in the building which houses both businesses. The pair grew up in Brooklyn before both marrying women from Staten Island and moving to New Jersey.

Paul Caneiro's home on Tilton Drive was also the scene of a fire Tuesday morning, one that is now also under investigation by the prosecutor's office for possible links to the Colts Neck fire.

Whether the two fires are related "remains to be seen," Gramiccioni told reporters.

Neighbors told NJ Advance Media Paul Caneiro appeared visibly distressed, with "tears in his eyes," after the fire broke out before dawn at his house.

Neighbors said he stayed at the scene until about noon. He and his wife had not returned home as of Tuesday evening.

Neighbors described the Ocean Township couple, who have two older children, as friendly and helpful, and said Paul Caneiro had been injured in a car accident in Asbury Park a few years ago.

When Paul Caneiro married his wife Susan in 1991, his brother Keith served as his best man, in a wedding officiated by the mayor of Shrewsbury, according to the couple's wedding announcement in the Staten Island Advance.

Keith Caneiro's LinkedIn profile says he graduated from Columbia University with a bachelor's degree in 2014, and was either enrolled or recently completed a master's program at the university.

Both his LinkedIn profile and Facebook page also indicate he had taken courses at Harvard Business School.

He graduated from John Dewey High School in Gravesend, Brooklyn. 

Caneiro purchased the family's home on Willow Brook Road in 1999, according to Monmouth County property records. He and his wife paid off the $1.8 million mortgage two years ago.

Prosecutor's office officials indicate they expect to release more information Wednesday.

Sophie Nieto-Munoz contributed to this report.

Thomas Moriarty may be reached at tmoriarty@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @ThomasDMoriarty. Find NJ.com on Facebook. 

Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips