Who was picked in NJ.com's just for fun fantasy boys soccer draft?

Authorities are looking for two Newark men they believe shot and killed a man in the city two weeks ago

NEW BRUNSWICK -- Authorities are looking for two Newark men they believe shot and killed a man in New Brunswick two weeks ago, as well as a woman who was allegedly with the pair during the fatal shooting.  

Michael Martin, aka "Maniac", 26, and Rayshawn Riddick, 31, both face murder, conspiracy, and weapons charges in the shooting of Hakim Williams on Aug. 18, Middlesex County Prosecutor Andrew Carey said in a release. 

Williams, 31, of New Brunswick, was found shot multiple times in his car in the 100 block of Fulton Street. 

Dianna Williams, 26, of New Brunswick, is wanted for questioning in connection to the shooting, Carey said. 

The prosecutor's office is working with the New Brunswick police and FBI to track down the two suspects, according to the release. 

Any with information about the ongoing investigation is asked to call (732) 745-5217 or (732)745- 4471.

Tips can be sent in to authorities anonymously by calling Crime Stoppers of Middlesex County at 1-800-939-9600 or submitted online at www.middlesextips.com. Tips may also be sent by text messaging 274637. Crime Stoppers provides a reward for any information that leads to an arrest.

Craig McCarthy may be reached at 732-372-2078 or at CMcCarthy@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @createcraig and on Facebook here. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips

The system, which consists of 22,000 panels, is one of the largest rooftop solar energy systems in the United States, Amazon officials said.

CARTERET -- Amazon on Tuesday unveiled what the company says is the largest rooftop solar panel energy system in New Jersey on the 30-acre roof of its Carteret warehouse.

The 22,000-solar-panel system will power the online retailer's facility. The company said it is one of the largest rooftop solar panel systems in the country and generates enough electricity to power 600 homes.

Inside the facility, 3,000 employees work with 900 robots on a million-square-foot floor and a mezzanine to prepare and package products sold by Amazon.

Before a tour of the building, U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone Jr., D-6th Dist., and center workers signed a solar panel that will be hung at the site.

New Jersey is on the forefront of solar energy, Pallone said, though there is more to be done. He said it is important for states to reduce greenhouse gases, especially since President Donald Trump withdrew the U.S. from the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change.

"We'll do more to try to promote solar and wind power," he said, adding that the Garden State could create jobs by manufacturing solar panels here. "New Jersey can be the leader."

How this landfill will soon power 1.2K homes in N.J.

The solar panel system was created with two-and-a-half million pounds of materials and at its peak -- during a sunny day in the summer -- can create 7.5 million watts of power, said Tom Chandlee, Amazon's program manager for renewable energy.

The energy will power everything in the center, which operates 24 a day, from lighting to heating and conditioning.

Amazon officials declined to disclose the cost. The installation was completed from February to August. Building the system was a collaboration from multiple companies, including Sol Systems and IGS Solar.

"It's been a really challenging and long experience to build something like this," Sol Systems CEO Yuri Horwitz said. "The end result is pretty elegant and magnificent at the same time."

After the tour, Pallone commended Amazon and said the solar panels are another way to lessen the state's dependence on fossil fuels.

In answering questions from reporters, the congressman then described recent remarks made by U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz as awful. Cruz is seeking federal aid for victims of Hurricane Harvey despite opposing similar measures after Hurricane Sandy in 2012. 

During an interview Monday on MSNBC, Cruz said the Sandy federal emergency relief bill was "filled with unrelated pork." He said two-thirds of the bill was unrelated to the hurricane, one of the costliest natural disasters in U.S. history.

Pallone described the Texas congressman's comments as nonsense and said they further show the importance of the recently installed solar panels.

"A lot of these Republicans, particularly from the West and the South, they don't believe in climate change," Pallone said. "Harvey is just another indication that climate change is real and these storms are going to be more severe."

"This is the sixth year ... it became the hottest weather nationally and worldwide, so you know, you're just kidding yourself if you think that climate change is not real," he added.

Luke Nozicka can be reached at lnozicka@njadvancemedia.com or on Twitter @lukenozicka.

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A look at where New Jersey alums are stating the 2017 season.

David Johnson? Le'Veon Bell? Odell Beckham, Jr.? What about high school football? We look at who could be the best high school fantasy football players in New Jersey.

SOUTH BRUNSWICK -- A trailer hitch carrying a 65-foot modular classroom became detached from a truck Wednesday night, Capt. James Ryan of the South Brunswick Police Department said. The hitch holding the classroom, which was bound for Princeton High School, got loose around 6:30 p.m. on the southbound side near Raymond Road. The hitch was towed off Rt. 1 onto...

SOUTH BRUNSWICK -- A trailer hitch carrying a 65-foot modular classroom became detached from a truck Wednesday night, Capt. James Ryan of the South Brunswick Police Department said.

The hitch holding the classroom, which was bound for Princeton High School, got loose around 6:30 p.m. on the southbound side near Raymond Road. The hitch was towed off Rt. 1 onto Raymond within about a half-hour, Ryan said.

Traffic along Rt. 1 South was again moving by 7 p.m. Raymond Road remained partly blocked, Ryan said.

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

In appreciation of the people who work hard.

The first job I had that involved a paycheck and time clock was at the Holiday Inn in Vineland.

I started in housekeeping, which involved a lot of vacuuming, trash emptying and window cleaning. The motel had a bar/nightclub, which was quite popular on Friday and Saturday nights. And, I was charged with cleaning up assorted messes left by folks after their night on the town.

MORE: Vintage photos around New Jersey

The bathrooms in the nightclub were, well, let's just say "interesting." The aftereffects of a night out could be found in and around the commodes, sinks and stalls. Lipstick messages, I found, were particularly difficult to clean off a mirror, especially when the chief housekeeper was expecting squeaky clean. And, the chief housekeeper always demanded squeaky clean bathroom facilities. Oh, and back then, we weren't issued protective gloves or facemasks.

I must say that that job was a valuable one. I gained a weekly paycheck, yes, but more importantly, I gained an appreciation for the people who work hard to make sure places we visit are clean and well-maintained.

Here's a gallery of working people in New Jersey, with a particular shout-out to those folks who have to work when everyone else is relaxing. And here are some more galleries of people at work in New Jersey from the past.

Vintage photos of jobs and workers in N.J.

Vintage photos of working people in N.J.

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

From north to south and everywhere in between, here are 50 of the H.S. football games we're most excited to see in 2017.

A 36-year-old New Jersey man claims two police officers broke his ribs and punctured one of his lungs during an arrest in 2015.

NEW BRUNSWICK -- A 36-year-old man is suing the city over allegations two police officers assaulted him during an arrest in 2015, breaking his ribs and puncturing one of his lungs. 

Dion Napier, of New Brunswick, also claims he was denied prompt medical treatment for hours after the arrest he described as a "malicious beating."

The nine-count lawsuit filed in June alleges the officers, Jonathan Rivera and Michael Powers, used excessive force while arresting Napier on drug charges Dec. 8, 2015. It also alleges the city, its police department and Police Director Anthony Caputo failed to provide adequate training to its officers on lawful use of force.

Attorneys representing the defendants did not respond to calls or emails seeking comment. In court documents, the defendants deny any wrongdoing.

New Brunswick police spokesman Capt. J.T. Miller confirmed the officers are employed with the department but said the force cannot comment on pending litigation.

In the lawsuit, Napier said he was eating in a parked car across the street from D'Palace Bar on Throop Avenue when officers pulled up behind his car to warn him about the vehicle's tinted windows. The car belonged to someone else, he said. 

Rivera and Powers returned to arrest Napier after dispatch wrongfully identified him as having an outstanding warrant for his arrest, according to the lawsuit. The warrant actually belonged to a Deion Baker, the suit claims.

That's when Rivera claimed he smelled marijuana in the vehicle, Napier said. He allegedly told the officers he had a bag of marijuana on him, stepped out of his vehicle and handed Rivera the bag.

Becoming nervous about "the behavior of the police," Napier ran, according to the lawsuit.

Once Rivera and Powers caught up to Napier, they punched, kneed and pepper sprayed him, breaking his ribs and puncturing one of his lungs, the lawsuit alleges.

The police department's use of force reports collaborate parts of Napier's story. 

Rivera, who was 28 at the time, tackled or wrestled Napier, placed him in a compliance hold, kneed and pepper sprayed him, according to his use of force report. Powers, who was 26 at the time, also struck Napier with his knee and placed him in a hold, according to his report. 

Napier was resisting arrest and physically threatened or attacked an officer, according to the reports. 

In the lawsuit, Napier said he was not resisting arrest and did not pose a threat to the officers. He was unarmed and helpless during the arrest, he said. 

He was arrested and taken to the police department, where he waited for medical treatment in a jail cell for about four hours while "writhing in pain," according to the lawsuit.

As many as 10 police officers, who are not named in the lawsuit, placed Napier in the cell and delayed his medical care, he said. 

Napier was eventually taken to the hospital and underwent emergency surgery for his punctured lung, according to the lawsuit. 

He has suffered extreme emotional distress, trauma and humiliation because of the incident, which left his eyes burning from the pepper spray, he claims in the lawsuit. He continues to experience physical and psychological damage, he said.

Napier declined to comment in person during a recent afternoon as he left Middlesex County Superior Court after a drug court hearing. He said he could not speak about the case without his attorney present.

According to the police department's arrest report, Napier was in the area of Throop Avenue and Delevan Street that day when he was arrested for manufacturing, distributing or dispensing drugs.

Four months later, in March 2016, he was indicted on seven counts that include possession of a controlled dangerous substance with intent to distribute, resisting arrest and tampering with physical evidence, among other charges.

On the day he was arrested, he intended to distribute less than half an ounce of heroin and was in possession of oxycodone, according to the indictment.

Napier's criminal record dates back to 2003 when he was arrested for possession of cocaine, court records show.

At the time of the arrest, Rivera had worked at the police department for nine years and Powers for three.

Rivera makes $103,839 a year and Powers makes $71,773, according to police department data.

Napier's lawsuit seeks damages for the use of excessive force, the denial of adequate medical care and the alleged cover-up of the use of excessive force. It also seeks damages for the department's failure to properly train and supervise its officers.

Luke Nozicka can be reached at lnozicka@njadvancemedia.com or on Twitter @lukenozicka.

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Are you ready for kickoff?

Which team will emerge as N.J.'s best? 22 can't-miss storylines

The best and brightest of New Jersey's state university will live alongside some school faculty and the academic dean here. Watch video

NEW BRUNSWICK -- Rutgers University's Honors College move-in day went smoothly as 500 freshmen and their families flocked to the College Avenue campus in New Brunswick on Thursday.

Arrival times were staggered, starting at 8 a.m. and ending at 4 p.m.

Upperclassmen volunteers from the Honors College and the Residence Life Move-In Team were there to welcome their new peers and help the incoming freshman and their families unload vehicles and cart items to the dorm rooms.

Rutgers-New Brunswick Honors College, first opened three years ago, the $84.8 million, 170,000 square foot complex is a community where the best and brightest of New Jersey's state university will live alongside some school faculty and the academic dean.

The community includes students from Rutgers liberal arts and professional schools including, the School of Arts and Sciences,  School of Engineering, School of Environmental and Biological Sciences, Rutgers Business School, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy,  and Mason Gross School of the Arts.

Paul Gilmore, the honors college's administrative dean, said there were approximately 160 volunteers over the course of the day to help with the move in.

"It's always fun to see our upperclassmen come back after the summer and hear about their internships, their enthusiasm and excitement help reassure the new students and their parents." Gilmore said

Patti Sapone may be reached at psapone@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Instagram @psapo,  Twitter @psapone.  Find NJ.com on Facebook.

PISCATAWAY -- Police are asking the public's help locating a driver who struck a pedestrian Aug. 21 and left the scene, the department said in a statement. WABC 7 identified the victim as a 15-year-old girl who was still recovering from her injuries Thursday. The girl was struck as she was walking in the crosswalk at New Brunswick Avenue...

PISCATAWAY -- Police are asking the public's help locating a driver who struck a pedestrian Aug. 21 and left the scene, the department said in a statement.

WABC 7 identified the victim as a 15-year-old girl who was still recovering from her injuries Thursday.

The girl was struck as she was walking in the crosswalk at New Brunswick Avenue and Cedarwood Drive around 8:30 p.m.

The vehicle is believed to have been traveling south on New Brunswick Avenue when it hit the victim.

The crash is currently being investigated by the Piscataway Township Police Department's Traffic Safety Section. Anyone with information is asked to contact Sergeant Constance Crea at (732) 562-2340. Those with information that wish to remain anonymous can call the Piscataway Police TIPS Line at (732) 562-2360.

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

WOODBRIDGE TOWNSHIP -- Dean is a 10-year-old male tiger cat in the care of Angel Paws Rescue. He was adopted as a kitten, but was brought back after six years when a child in his family developed an allergy. He was then fostered but had to be brought back to the shelter after his fosterer developed health issues. Dean needs...

Dean 

WOODBRIDGE TOWNSHIP -- Dean is a 10-year-old male tiger cat in the care of Angel Paws Rescue.

He was adopted as a kitten, but was brought back after six years when a child in his family developed an allergy.

He was then fostered but had to be brought back to the shelter after his fosterer developed health issues.

Dean needs a home for his golden years; he has been neutered, is FIV/FeLV negative and up-to-date on shots.

For more information on Dean, call 732-340-1199, email info@angelpaws.org or visit the Pet Adoption Center at 490 Inman Ave. in Colonia. The center is open weeknights from 7 to 8:30 p.m. and weekends from noon to 3 p.m. The shelter is supported by the efforts of Angel Paws Rescue and is currently caring for 51 cats and kittens.

Shelters interested in placing a pet in the Paw Print adoption column or submitting news should call 973-836-4922 or email middlesex@starledger.com.

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

Red White & Que started as a hole-in-the-wall in Kearny. There are now seven locations, with plans to add nearly 50 more

Red White & Que Smokehouse started as a humble hole-in-the-wall BBQ joint in Kearny last year.

It's about to go nationwide. 

Watch out, Famous Dave's.

Red White & Que, named by nj.com as "New Jersey's best BBQ newcomer'' in May 2016 and the state's best BBQ joint by Thrillist later that year, plans to have 55 locations, many in New Jersey, by the end of 2019.

Seven are open -- Kearny, Scotch Plains, Randolph, Manahawkin, Barnegat, Little Egg Harbor and Easton, Pa. A RWQ in Carteret is scheduled to open next spring. Locations in Ohio and New York are being scouted. 

"We're looking all over (in New Jersey),'' says co-owner Katie Misuraca. "Lawrenceville, Springfield, Raritan (Township). We would like to be in Monmouth County. I'm from Monmouth County. My mom would be happy.''

"We want to be the go-to barbecue place in New Jersey,'' says co-owner Dan Misuraca, Katie's husband.

According to one estimate, 60 percent of new restaurants don't last beyond three years. Red White & Que seems well ahead of the curve.  

"We want to plant our flag in California,'' Dan Misuraca says of the Brentwood, Cal. RWQ location set to open this year. The son of one of his investors/co-owners lives there.

The "flag'' reference also fits because Misuraca is a Marine veteran, one who wants Red White & Que to be N.J.'s BBQ go-to and help veterans along the way. RWQ hosts pig roasts where veterans eat free thanks to customer donations to RWQ's "Buy a Vet a Meal'' program. About 15 full-time employees are vets; John Easterday started as a dishwasher in Kearny and is now the pit master at the Scotch Plains RWQ.

RWQ's staff of 150 know what is uppermost -- that barbecue "takes discipline,'' according to Katie. "You can't make a mistake.''

"When those briskets are coming off, you have to be here at 6 a.m,'' Dan adds.

They met over shoes. Dan was a district manager for Journeys footwear store in Manhattan; Katie worked for the retailer at several Jersey malls, then moved to the chain's 14th street store.

After Hurricane Sandy hit, she and other 14th Street staffers were sent to help at the 34th Street store, where Dan was based. They hit it off. She bought him a smoker as a housewarming gift for their new home. He started cooking 'cue at parties, and soaked up smoker knowledge online.

The turning point came when Dan hosted a five-day reunion with his Marine buddies at his home, a festive party/BBQ hoedown that involved three roast pigs.

"I told Katie, we throw really good parties, we cook for a lot of people, why can't we open a little barbecue place?'' Dan recalled.

The Kearny RWQ opened in February, 2016. The Scotch Plains RWQ, in the former Jimmy Buff's on Route 22, opened in January of this year. Accolades followed. Guy Fieri "discovered'' RWQ; the BBQ joint will appear on "Guy's Big Project,'' a Food Network show, this fall.    

RWQ's meteoric growth is due in large part to Group One Investments, whose principals, Ed Danberry and Ron DeLucia, are RWQ co-owners. Group One has partnered with OTG to provide warehousing, delivery and construction at five airports, including Newark Liberty International.

"He came in one day, said, 'I love what you're doing; do you want to open a lot of these?' '' Dan Misuraca said of Danberry.

What RWQ is doing is good barbecue, in an amalgam of regional styles. Texas-style brisket. St. Louis cut dry-rubbed ribs. Carolina pulled pork. The sauces include Sweet Que, pepper vinegar, mustard vinegar, Alabama White (mayo and vinegar), pepper espresso and Devil Dog's Spit, a spicy BBQ sauce.

The vinegar coleslaw and country style potato salad are based on a recipe from Dan's Aunt Neddy. The mac and cheese is Katie's; Dan claims the collards.   

RWQ locations also are a hodgepodge. Kearny remains a hole-in-the-wall. Little Egg Harbor and Manahawkin are takeout only. Barnegat, with a seating capacity of 60 and long communal tables, "is our first real version of a chow hall,'' says Katie Misuraca. It's in the former Shore Fire Grille location. 

Service flags adorn the wall of the Barnegat RWQ; a 48-star American flag Katie found at the Columbus Farmers Market stretches across another wall.  

So where does RWQ see itself in five years?

"Nationwide chain,'' Dan replies quickly.

"But we want people to know it will still be us (as owners),'' says Katie, emphasizing RWQ will not be franchised. "We'll always be mom-and-pop.''

Peter Genovese may be reached at pgenovese@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @PeteGenovese or via The Munchmobile @NJ_Munchmobile. Find the Munchmobile on Facebook and Instagram.

NEW BRUNSWICK -- Workman are shown laying trolley tracks on George Street in New Brunswick in this photo from the early 1900s. A 2015 article by Daniel Munoz on newbrunswicktoday.com notes that the majority of streetcar lines in New Brunswick were controlled by the Public Service Railway, a subsidiary of the Public Service Corp. of New Jersey. MORE: Vintage photos around...

NEW BRUNSWICK -- Workman are shown laying trolley tracks on George Street in New Brunswick in this photo from the early 1900s.

A 2015 article by Daniel Munoz on newbrunswicktoday.com notes that the majority of streetcar lines in New Brunswick were controlled by the Public Service Railway, a subsidiary of the Public Service Corp. of New Jersey.

MORE: Vintage photos around New Jersey

By 1920, Public Service Corp. owned and operated more than 900 miles of tracks in 11 New Jersey counties.

If you would like to share a photo that provides a glimpse of history in your community, please call 973-836-4922 or send an email to middlesex@starledger.com. And, check out more glimpses of history in our online galleries on nj.com.

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

This new form of cyberbullying is on the rise, social media experts say

Jackie Camerota was last seen at the NJ Transit Elizabeth Train Station

Jackie Camerota
 

SOUTH BRUNSWICK -- Police are asking for the public's help in locating a missing 19-year-old.

Jackie Camerota was last seen Friday afternoon at the NJ Transit Elizabeth train station after checking out of a medical facility, South Brunswick police Capt. James Ryan said. 

Camerota, described as 5-foot-6 at about 115 pounds, could be in the Newark or New York City area, according to Ryan.

No futher details were made available about the missing teen. 

Craig McCarthy may be reached at 732-372-2078 or at CMcCarthy@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @createcraig and on Facebook here. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips

Labor Day 2017 is Monday, Sept. 4, a day that pays tribute to the American worker. The three-day Labor Day weekend also marks the unofficial end of summer. Here's a look at what's open and closed, plus where to find some of the best Labor Day sales and deals.

The family of a 15-year-old girl who was struck by a vehicle in August is asking for the public's help in identifying the driver that left her with critical brain injuries.

PISCATAWAY -- The family of a 15-year-old girl who was struck by a vehicle in August is asking for the public's help in identifying the driver that left her with critical brain injuries.

On the evening of Aug. 21, the teenage pedestrian was struck by a vehicle at New Brunswick Avenue and Cedarwood Drive in the township, police said. The driver then fled the scene, traveling south on New Brunswick Avenue.

The girl was left with critical injuries, police said. Authorities have not released any description of the vehicle or driver. 

ABC7 Eyewitness News reported Saturday that the teenager struck was Tiffany Pham. Her family told the news station that she remained at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital with broken bones and critical brain injuries.

"She still struggling to breathe on her own," her sister, Ida Peery, told ABC7. "They're keeping her sedated."

As of Sunday morning, about 260 people have collectively donated more than $10,500 to her family on an online fundraiser. Ali Esposito, who described herself as a close friend of Pham's sister, created the page. 

"Tiffany's family is now left with accumulating medical expenses, on top of their devastation from this senseless crime," Esposito wrote on the campaign.

Township police are asking anyone with information about the driver to call Sgt. Constance Crea at 732-562-2340. Tips can also be made anonymously at 732-562-2360.

Luke Nozicka can be reached at lnozicka@njadvancemedia.com or on Twitter @lukenozicka.

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