Hey pinball wizards: Dave & Buster's at the Woodbridge mall will officially open on Tuesday, Nov. 14.

WOODBRIDGE -- We came, we saw, we even beat the Woodbridge mayor at Skee-Ball.

On Thursday, media outlets and local VIPs got a sneak peek of the very first Dave & Buster's in New Jersey at the Woodbridge mall. The doors will officially open on Tuesday, Nov. 14.

The 34,000-square-foot venue -- which blends an amusement, restaurant and bar environment -- is located in the upper level near Sears. Seven stores in that wing were moved elsewhere in the mall to make room. 

A sports lounge area is outfitted with more than 40 flatscreens, and a separate dining area featuring blown up black-and-white photos of Woodbridge makes for a calmer, quieter place to hang between all the excitement.

There are also several rentable private event spaces, which can accommodate up to 150 guests -- or, for a price, you can rent the entire place and host up to 1,900 people.

Woodbridge Mayor John McCormac, gracious in his Skee-Ball defeat, said he was thrilled to have Dave & Buster's choose Woodbridge for their first N.J. location. 

"It's a long-awaited opening," McCormac said. "We couldn't be happier to have this fantastic company coming to town and bringing 240 jobs to the area."

May all your shots [?] go in. - #daveandbusters #popashot

A post shared by NJ.com (@njdotcom) on Nov 9, 2017 at 11:14am PST

The Woodbridge location offers more than 150 games, including a few that are exclusive to Dave & Buster's. It will open every day at 11 a.m. and stay open until midnight Monday through Wednesday and Saturday and Sunday, until 1 a.m. on Thursday and until 2 a.m. on Friday.

Looking for a deal? Come on Wednesdays, when all games are half-price, or during happy hour (Monday - Friday from 4:30 to 7 p.m.) and "Late Night Happy Hour" (Sunday - Thursday, 9 p.m. to closing) for half-price cocktails, $2.50 domestic pints and other deals on food and drinks.

Another bigger Dave & Buster's is set to open soon in the Willowbrook Mall in Wayne, where construction is underway. That location will be 48,000-square-feet and open in early 2018, a company spokesperson said today.

The opening of the Texas-based chain in New Jersey was made possible by legislation signed by Gov. Chris Christie two years ago lifting the 56-year ban on the pairing of alcohol sales and amusement games. 

The ban didn't apply to casino or video games but restricted the businesses that gave away tickets for prizes for games, such as Skee-Ball. Dave & Buster's lobbied for years to get the law changed.

Dave & Buster's currently has 103 locations across the country including three in the Philadelphia area and one in New York City.

Jessica Remo may be reached at jremo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @JessicaRemoNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Authorities are asking community members for help identifying owners of a vehicle they believe was involved in the fatal shooting of two women. Watch video

ELIZABETH -- In an appeal to the public for help solving a homicide, authorities released a video Thursday showing a car they believe was involved in the fatal shooting of two women shortly after midnight on Nov. 1.

Rah-Zhane Lee, 22, of Roselle and Shaniquah Richardson, 24, who lived close by in Elizabeth, were killed in the shooting near Jackson Park. Family members of Lee say the two women were best friends. 

The surveillance video recovered from near the shooting scene shows a dark-colored sedan traveling at a high rate of speed.

The three clips can be seen below. 

Police ask anyone with information about the shooting to contact Homicide Task Force Sgt. Johnny Ho at 908-403-8271 or Detective William Guy at 908-527-4648.

The Union County Crime Stoppers also are offering a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to an arrest and indictment in this case; tips can be given anonymously by phone at 908-654-TIPS (8477), via text message by texting "UCTIP" plus a message to 274637 (CRIMES), or online at www.uctip.org.

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

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COMPLETE: Bracket-by-bracket previews

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ESSENTIALS 
•  Brackets for all 23 sections  
• Round 1 mega-coverage guide 
• Picks for all Round 1 games 
• Picks for teams in the NJ.com Top 20

PLAYOFF PREVIEWS
• Bracket-by-bracket previews  
•  An A-to-Z guide to the playoffs
• Predicting all 23 sectional champions
• Dark horses:19 dangerous low seeds
• 35 players worth the price of admission 

FRIDAY'S FEATURED COVERAGE 
No. 19 Vineland at No. 10 Lenape, 7 
• Live updates
• Box score
•  Photo gallery

Morris Knolls at Mount Olive, 7 
• Live updates
• Box score
•  Photo gallery

Pequannock at Newton, 7  
• Live updates
• Box score

Hasbrouck Heights at Cedar Grove, 7 
• Live updates
• Box score
•  Photo gallery 

Sayreville at Colonia, 7 
• Live updates
• Box score
•  Photo gallery  

Manasquan at Roselle, 7 
• Live updates
• Box score
•  Photo gallery 

Brick Township at Allentown, 5 
• Live updates
• Box score
•  Photo gallery 

Orange at North Hunterdon, 7 
• Box score
•  Photo gallery 

North Brunswick at Freehold Township, 7 
• Box score

Hackettstown at Mountain Lakes, 7 
• Box score

Trenton at Old Bridge, 7  
• Box score
•  Photo gallery 

Florence at Bound Brook, 7 
• Box score

Pleasantville at West Deptford, 7
• Box score
•  Photo gallery

Woodstown at Gateway, 7
• Box score
•  Photo gallery

Ocean City at Delsea, 7 
• Box score

Williamstown at Millville, 7 
• Box score

FRIDAY'S TOP 20 SCOREBOARD 
Seneca at No. 4 Timber Creek, 7
Williamstown at No. 5 Millville, 7
Perth Amboy at No. 6 Manalapan, 7
No. 19 Vineland at No. 10 Lenape, 7
Teaneck at No. 12 Old Tappan, 6
Millburn at No. 13 Phillipsburg, 7
Camden Catholic at No. 14 St. John Vianney, 7
Gloucester Catholic at No. 16 Holy Spirit, 7
Eastern at No. 17 Rancocas Valley, 7
Bloomfield at No. 20 Passaic Tech, 7

SATURDAY'S FEATURED COVERAGE 
St. Augustine at No. 1 Bergen Catholic, 1
• Live updates
• Box score

Don Bosco Prep at No. 2 St. Peter's Prep, 12
• Live updates
• Box score
•  Photo gallery

Bergenfield at Sparta, 1 
• Live updates
• Box score
•  Photo gallery

Hillside at South River, 1
• Live updates
• Box score
•  Photo gallery

Lakewood at Lacey, 1 
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• Box score
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Willingboro at Cedar Creek, 1 
• Live updates
• Box score
•  Photo gallery

Roselle Park at Glen Ridge, 1 
• Box score

Wall at Steinert, 1 
• Box score
•  Photo gallery

Freehold Borough at Nottingham 
• Box score
•  Photo gallery

SATURDAY'S TOP 20 SCOREBOARD
St. Augustine at No. 1 Bergen Catholic, 1
Don Bosco Prep at No. 2 St. Peter's Prep, 12
Red Bank Catholic at No. 3 St. Joseph (Mont.), 1
Livingston at No. 8 Montclair, 1
Donovan Catholic at No. 9 Pope John, 1
Ridge at No. 11 Westfield, 1
St. Mary (Ruth.) at No. 15 St. Joseph (Hamm.), 1

PLAYOFF SCOREBOARDS
Non-Public, Group 4 

Non-Public, Group 3  

Non-Public, Group 2 

North Jersey, Section 1, Group 5

North Jersey, Section 1, Group 4 

North Jersey, Section 1, Group 3 

North Jersey, Section 1, Group 2 

North Jersey, Section 1, Group 1 

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 5 

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4 

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3 

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 2 

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 1 

Central Jersey, Group 5 

Central Jersey, Group 4 

Central Jersey, Group 3 

Central Jersey, Group 2 

Central Jersey, Group 1 

South Jersey, Group 5 

South Jersey, Group 4 

South Jersey, Group 3 

South Jersey, Group 2 

South Jersey, Group 1 

Highlights of the opening weekend of the playoffs

Braden Bullen sat on his mother's lap flipping through a scrapbook older than his grandfather. The photos were all black and white but grayed with time. Trapped in cellophane, captives of time,  were pictures of Braden's great-grandfather during his Army days in World War II. Vernon Chevalier, Sr., was in the second wave at D-Day and fought across France...

Braden Bullen sat on his mother's lap flipping through a scrapbook older than his grandfather.

The photos were all black and white but grayed with time. Trapped in cellophane, captives of time,  were pictures of Braden's great-grandfather during his Army days in World War II.

Vernon Chevalier, Sr., was in the second wave at D-Day and fought across France and Belgium through those crucial and brutal days when the war turned. Not only did he survive, he has lived to be 93 and lucid enough to enjoy the presence of a great-grandson looking at his Army-days pictures nearly three-quarters of a century old.

To put that in perspective, imagine a child in 1940 looking at photos of his great-grandpappy in the Civil War, with his great-grandpappy by his side.

Could there be a better Veteran's Day gift for a family?

MORE: Recent Mark Di Ionno columns

The Chevaliers were part of a ceremony Wednesday at the Reformed Church Home in Old Bridge, organized by Seasons Hospice & Palliative Care, which provides services at the home.

In a room packed with Reformed Church residents, 20 veterans were honored for their service. Most were veterans of World War II in their mid-90s, including Ruth Carmeli, an Army nurse who served aboard the USS Stafford Hospital ship in the South Pacific.

"I was there for V-J Day (when Japan surrendered," she said. "It was a very happy day." The ceremony, she said, "brought back a lot of memories. Not just of the war, but my whole life."

Julius Kamichoff was a radio operator on the USS Florence Nightingale, which came under fire in the Atlantic and Pacific.

"That ship had four battle stars," he said. "We were a troop transport ship. We carried equipment, too, like the amphibious assault boats."

In other words, it was the kind of ship the enemy wanted to sink.

"That's right," he said.

The ceremony was attended by widows of deceased veterans and family members of living ones.

Lucy Bozian's husband, Aram, 96, is a resident of the home but was medically unable to attend. She came with a framed display of his medals and a portrait of him. She also wore a Navy blue sweatshirt embossed with his ship's name, the USS Cushing, a destroyer that was sunk during the battle for Guadalcanal in November 1942.

"He spent his 21^st birthday in the water," Bozian said.

His daughter, Lynn Carey, said her father spoke about the war "all the time" and most specifically about the attack.

"A friend from his hometown was on the ship," she said. "When they got hit, he was bleeding and my father took off his shirt and made a tourniquet. A second later there was another blast and the man was gone. My father always said that it was just fate and luck that he survived."

Four generations of Chevaliers attended the ceremony: Vernon Sr., son Vernon Chevalier, Jr., granddaughter Rebecca Bullen and Braden, who at 2 1/2 was the youngest person there.

But not by too much.

A group of Air Force cadets from Old Bridge High School presented the color guard, set up the "missing man" table and gingerly pinned lapel medallions on the aged vets, most of whom were wheelchair bound.

One of those cadets, Emily Univerricht, works part-time at the home as a dietary aid. When she heard of the event from her boss, she volunteered her group.

"I thought it was a great way for us to get involved," she said.

This mixture of young and old in uniform was augmented by a group of New Jersey Air Guard members also there to honor the veterans.

Capt. Mary Carter, who was deployed to a combat zone in Afghanistan in 2012, said there is great camaraderie between new and old generations of veterans, despite six or seven decades of age difference.

"Right away, you connect with them," she said. "We have similar experiences and served in similar situations. That's why we're here. To show our appreciation for what they did."

The ceremony began with patriotic songs and prayers for peace.

For the singing of the National Anthem, Seasons Hospice pastor Andy Gordon said, "those of you who are able are welcomed to please stand."

Several veterans struggled to their feet. Some let go of their walkers to salute the flag. It was a no-dry-eye moment. One of the veterans wept audibly.

"The veterans were very emotional," said Peter Szuminsky, one of the Old Bridge cadets. "You could see it in their eyes. It meant so much to me to have a chance to touch their lives."

History tells how they touched ours. As the decades go by, the veterans remain thankful for the continued appreciation. 

"This was very nice," Kamichoff said. "It's nice to be remembered."

Mark Di Ionno may be reached at mdiionno@starledger.com. Follow The Star-Ledger on Twitter @StarLedger and find us on Facebook.

Concerned parents of undocumented children in Plainfield received free legal consultations and advice provided by the school district on Saturday.

PLAINFIELD -- As she walks through the halls of Plainfield's public schools, Gloria Montealegre hears the concerns of students who have come into the country with their parent or on their own. Will they be deported? Will their parents have to leave the country? Will they be able to go to college?

As the issues for these students became even more complex, Montealegre began to hold discrete information sessions for these students and their parents, sessions that included legal information. The most recent session was held last week.

 "This is beneficial because dealing with issues like these, parents can get depressed and stressed as well as the students, which affects how they are in school," said Montenegro, the district's community relations liaison. "I knew we needed something to help the people in our community."

Rutgers' Jason Hernandez, left, and Plainfield's Gloria Montealegre, right, talk in the hallway of Plainfield High School after the conclusion of their session for parents of undocumented children on Saturday. 

Previously, Make the Road New Jersey, an immigration advocacy organization, hosted the clinics. This year the Rutgers Immigrant Community Assistant Project, which includes attorneys, professors and law students, hosted.

Twice a year, clinics provide information  about how to apply for DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Act) program, what to do if you they are arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement and what their rights are as an unauthorized citizens. As the sessions became more popular, Montealegre has considered expanding the number of sessions and bringing in more organizations as well. 

"We can never find information like this for free so I'm very grateful we had an event like this," said Edith, 61, of Plainfield, who has students in Plainfield schools and declined to give her last name because she is an unauthorized immigrant. "Something like this keeps our spirits up and this is information we can pass along." 

Edith was one of about 70 people who attended the clinics last week. After the sessions, the director of the Rutgers program, Jason Hernandez, and other volunteers stayed behind to offer students and parents private consultations. Hernandez also encourages his clients to pass the information along to their friends families and neighbors.  

"It's like a game of telephone information gets passed from one to another, which is good, but we're glad people have the chance to come to events like this so they can hear it from the main source." Hernandez said.

Montealegre says it's unknown how many students are unauthorized, but of those who are, most come from Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador. In Union County, an estimated 49,000 people, more than 8 percent of the population, do not have legal authorization to remain as residents according to the Migration Policy Institute. 

Volunteers at the informational session, such as Rutgers law student Amanda Clark, of Blairstown worked pro bono. At the most recent session, Clark told a surprised parent that he or she could possibly be considered for a program that allowed not only their children citizenship, but the parents as well.

"We're kind of like the first step for people that don't have money or are scared to talk to a lawyer," Clark said. "It's super rewarding to hear people's backgrounds and stories and to know something small like this can have such a big impact." 

In addition to the informational sessions and private consultations, Montealegre wanted something for parents and students to be inspired by, so she asked Sara Mora, 21, to serve as the speaker. 

Mora a Hillside resident, immigrated to the county from Costa Rica when she was 4. She enrolled in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program known as DACA, in 2012, and is one of more than 17,000 DREAMers in New Jersey according to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

Sara Mora, 21, of Hillside. Courtesy of Sara Mora 

Recently, Mora hit a roadblock in her education journey. A May graduate of Union County College, Mora had her eyes set on attending Seton Hall University this fall. However, the school's $50,000 pricetag was a deterrent, and she couldn't find a way to pay since DACA recipients are not eligible for government student loans.

Despite her own continuous trials, her message to Plainfield's parents was to remain resilient.

"It's O.K. to be scared. It takes a Godly strength to get through times like this," Mora said. "But in times like this if you don't feel strong enough to go out and advocate, at least make sure you take the time to educate yourself as much as you can because nobody can take that away from you." 

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

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The National Weather Service issued a winter weather advisory from 3 a.m. to 8 a.m. Monday that could include a wintry mix of light freezing rain.

Commuters heading to work Monday morning could experience slippery road conditions in parts of northwest New Jersey, forecasters said. 

(Photo provided by the National Weather Service)
 

The National Weather Service issued a winter weather advisory from 3 a.m. to 8 a.m. Monday that could include a wintry mix of light freezing rain. Forecasters said little accumulation is expected, but a glaze of ice could form on roads, bridges and overpasses.

The advisory was issued for Warren and Hunterdon counties. It means there is a potential for periods of snow, sleet or freezing rain that might cause travel difficulties.

"Be prepared for slippery roads and limited visibilities," the weather service said. "And use caution while driving."

There is also a possibility for a light wintry mix of precipitation that could cause slippery road conditions Monday morning in Sussex, Warren, Morris, Hunterdon, Somerset, Middlesex and Mercer counties, forecasters said. 

Check back for updates. 

Luke Nozicka may be reached at lnozicka@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @lukenozicka. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Meet Craig Coughlin, the next leader of the state Assembly a and thus the third-most powerful elected official in the Garden State.

Homeless animals throughout New Jersey await adoption in shelters and rescues.

Some notes on homeless animals in New Jersey:

* According to the State of New Jersey Office of Animal Welfare, "it is estimated that the number of free-roaming cats in the United States may be equal to that of owned cats, approximately 70 million. If left unchecked, free-roaming cats will breed and their populations increase at locations where they find suitable shelter and food." The office goes on to note that pet cats that are abandoned will not easily fend for themselves outdoors. Unfortunately, most of these cats and their offspring will suffer premature death from disease, starvation or trauma.

* Among shelters and rescue groups around New Jersey, the top 10 reasons for owners relinquishing a dog are: (1) moving; (2) landlord issues (3) cost of pet maintenance; (4) "no time for pet;" (5) inadequate facilities; (6) "too many pets in home;" (7) pet illness; (8) "personal problems;" (9) biting; and (10) no homes for litter-mates.

Other interesting facts from the Office of Animal Welfare:

* As many as 25 percent of dogs entering shelters across the country each year are purebreds.

* One unspayed female cat and her unaltered offspring can produce 420,000 cats in seven years.

Here is a gallery of homeless animals from northern and central New Jersey. Consider visiting a local shelter or contacting a local rescue group when looking for a pet for your family.

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

Which teams broke into the NJ.com Top 20 this week?

Craig Coughlin will succeed Vincent Prieto as third-most powerful elected official in New Jersey. Watch video

TRENTON -- Craig Coughlin, a previously little-known Middlesex County lawmaker, was formally chosen by his fellow Democrats on Monday to replace two-term incumbent Vincent Prieto as speaker of the New Jersey Assembly.

That means Coughlin, a 59-year-old attorney from Woodbridge who has served in the Assembly since 2010, will become the third-most powerful elected official in the Garden State when he is sworn in Jan. 9. 

"What's going to be our guiding principle is doing what's right and best for the working middle-class people of New Jersey," Coughlin said at a Statehouse news conference minutes after Monday's vote. 

The speaker helps set New Jersey's agenda by deciding which bills get put up for a vote in the Assembly -- the lower house of the state Legislature, the body that makes the state's laws. Only the governor and the president of the state Senate, the Legislature's upper house, hold more power.

7 things to know about your next N.J. Assembly speaker

Coughlin's ascension comes after Democrats scored big victories on Election Day, with Phil Murphy winning the race to succeed Republican Chris Christie as governor and the party tightening its control of both the Senate and Assembly.

Democrats picked up two seats in the Assembly last Tuesday to bolster their largest majority since 1978. They will hold 54 of the chamber's 80 seats.

Coughlin said Murphy's election will help Democrats usher through legislation that fell to Christie's veto pen over the years -- such as equal pay for men and women, "sane" gun control laws, and paid sick leave.

But Coughlin -- who represents Middlesex County's 19th district and will become the state's 216th Assembly speaker -- said he and his caucus have not yet had a chance to discuss one of Murphy's top priorities: a "millionaire's tax" on wealthy residents.

State Senate President Stephen Sweeney, D-Gloucester, said that will be the first goal of his house in the first months of Murphy's administration.

Coughlin also refused to commit to another Murphy promise: legalizing and taxing recreational marijuana. 

"I want to make sure it makes sense," Coughlin said. "As with any bill -- particularly any bill that would create something new -- I think the devil is really in the details. And I think we need to understand it in its totality." 

Murphy said Monday he planned to meet with Coughlin and Sweeney in the coming days and noted that he felt he had a mandate to legalize marijuana based on his 13-point victory last week. 

"I'm looking forward to comparing notes and getting to work," Murphy said. 

Meanwhile, Coughlin announced he will create a new Assembly panel: the science, technology, and information committee, which he said will create legislation "designed to put New Jersey at the forefront of emerging industries."

Coughlin's rise also brings an end to an intra-Democratic Party war over the speakership. 

Prieto, a Hudson County Democrat who held the speakership for four years, was seeking a third term.

But he had alienated many top Democrats over the last year. And a powerful block of Democratic south Jersey lawmakers aligned with power broker George Norcross III joined forces with central Jersey legislators to push Coughlin as an alternative.

In May, Coughlin announced he secured enough votes to oust Prieto. In August, a group of Essex County Democrats bolstered his coalition.

Then, in a last ditch-attempt to hold onto his post, Prieto and his allies poured money into Assembly races in the traditionally Republican 25th and 39th districts, hoping to flip seats and install new Democrats in exchange for their support. That fell flat, though, when Republicans retained all four seats in Tuesday's elections.

Prieto announced Thursday he would give up the battle and back Coughlin. 

Though voters pick lawmakers, newly elected lawmakers from the party in power select the Senate president and Assembly speaker. Sweeney was elected to another term as head of the upper house on Thursday.

Prieto will remain speaker until Jan. 9, when the newly elected lawmakers in all 120 legislative seats will be sworn in. 

The 57-year-old code inspector who has represented Hudson County's 32nd district since 2004 will continue to represent his district in the Assembly after that.

Coughlin thanked Prieto on Monday "for his service and his graciousness through this process."

He also noted that Assembly speakers traditionally serve two two-year terms. 

Coughlin's speakership will shift the power dynamic within the Legislature. For years, a south Jersey lawmaker -- Sweeney -- has been president of the Senate, while north Jersey legislators have been Assembly speaker. But Coughlin gives power in the Assembly to Middlesex County. 

He said Monday he intends to "be a speaker who leads by consensus and implements strong communications among all of my members so that their voices are heard irrespective of which region they come from." 

Also Monday, Assemblyman Lou Greenwald, D-Camden, was re-elected by his peers as the chamber's majority leader. It will be his fourth term in the post. 

Meanwhile, Assemblywoman Eliana Pintor Marin, D-Essex, will take over as chair of the powerful Assembly Budget Committee. She will replace Assemblyman Gary Schaer, D-Passaic, a Prieto ally.

NJ Advance Media staff writers Claude Brodesser-Akner and Samantha Marcus contributed to this report.

Brent Johnson may be reached at bjohnson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @johnsb01.

True to his progressive vision, there are lots of women and minorities, as well as a couple faces from the Christie administration.

Ernest C. Reock Jr., a former Rutgers University professor known for his wealth of knowledge in state government, died Sunday morning. He was 93.

NEW BRUNSWICK -- Ernest C. Reock Jr., a former Rutgers University professor known for his extensive knowledge in state government, died Sunday morning. He was 93. 

Reock, of the Kendall Park neighborhood of South Brunswick, died of complications from pneumonia at University Medical Center of Princeton in Plainsboro, his family said. 

His daughter, Kathleen Ketofsky, said he was "healthy and strong" up until three weeks ago. She remembered him as a champion of equality who was passionate about his research but also devoted much time to his family. 

"He was just an absolutely amazing father, unconditionally loving and the most non-complaining person I've ever met," she said. "He was very humble and very independent, and extremely active." 

Reock, Ketofsky said, continued to walk a mile on a daily basis -- he loved to walk along the Delaware & Raritan Canal in Griggstown -- and drove himself to his office in New Brunswick, where he still put in hours of research. 

He served as director of Rutgers University's Center for Government Services from 1960 until his retirement in 1992. He was known throughout the Garden State for his research in property taxes, legislative redistricting and other state government issues. 

In 1976, Reock created the "New Jersey Legislative District Data Book," an informational resource on New Jersey's 565 municipalities, and continued to edit it annually.

It is 230 pages of hundreds of thousands of facts and a million or so numbers. It offers contact information for legislators and includes tax rates, credit and bond ratings, school test scores, property values, budgets and revenues, among other facts.

"I just like the numbers," Reock told The Star-Ledger in 2012. 

In recent years, Reock still worked as a primary researcher for the book at the age of 89, according to a profile of him in the Home News Tribune. 

The informational book can now be searched online for datasets about population, poverty, crime, election results and other issues.

Reock, the author of numerous academic reports, also wrote "Unfinished Business," a book on the state's Constitutional Convention of 1966. In a summary of the book, Reock is described as a "veteran observer of New Jersey's political history."

In a 2003 profile in The New York Times, Reock was described as "Mr. State Government," who worked as the first full-time employee at what was then called the Bureau of Government Research. 

He retired in 1992 as director of what became the Center for Government Services. But at 87, Reock continued to dedicate at least 20 hours a week to research and part-time teaching as professor emeritus.

"He worked right up to the day we took him to the hospital," said his son-in-law, Hal Ketofsky. "He didn't have to, but he did anyway." 

Reock told The Star-Ledger that his motivation to continue his research stemmed from his desire to keep the public informed. 

"I know it sounds trite, but this is a public service," he said. "People should know what's around them, and where they are. They need to know how things operate, so it doesn't operate to their detriment."

Richard Novak, the university's vice president for continuing studies and distance education, called Reock an "indefatigable source of inspiration and insight."

"For more than 65 years, Ernie helped both voters and government officials make more informed decisions about their communities," Novak said. "Ernie exemplified the very best of lifelong learning."  

Reock, a Belleville native, started as a Rutgers student in 1942 to pursue a degree in mechanical engineering. He enrolled in a Naval training program at Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania a year later and was commissioned into service, but returned to earn his undergraduate degree in history in 1948.

Two years later, he earned his master's degree in history and in 1959, his doctorate in political science.  

Reock's wife of 62 years, Jeanne Thomason Reock, of Kendall Park, died at the age of 83 in March 2015. She worked in social services for Middlesex General Hospital and the State Board of Child Welfare. She served on numerous education boards as well, according to her obituary.

According to his family, Reock was adventurous, taking his boat out on the Barnegat Bay on nice days with Jeanne Reock before she died. More recently, he enjoyed taking rides out to the country. 

Reock is survived by his daughter, Kathleen Ketofsky, his two sons, Thomas and Michael, five grandchildren and one great-grandchild. 

Ketofsky said the family is still working on plans for a celebration of life, which will most likely occur in January. 

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

Luke Nozicka may be reached at lnozicka@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @lukenozicka. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

A real estate company on Monday said it plans to build what it believes is the largest mixed-used development site in New Jersey history in the township.

SAYREVILLE -- A real estate company on Monday said it plans to build what it believes is the largest mixed-used development site in New Jersey history in the borough.

North American Properties, which described itself as a multi-regional real estate operating and development company, said it plans to build the 418-acre waterfront redevelopment on the Raritan River for $2.5 billion.

The project, which is being dubbed "Riverton," is slated to be built at the former National Lead Industries property, commonly known as the Dutch Boy paints plant, and is a joint venture with New Jersey-based PGIM Real Estate.

The development, the company said in statement, will center on a village setting that mixes retail, restaurants, office space, hotels, parks and a marina.

In an interview, Mark Toro, the managing partner of North American Properties, said he believes the development is the largest mixed-used project and one of the largest brownfield remediation in the state. It will span 5 million square feet, he said.

The company anticipates the project will extend through 2021. It is working to create "New Jersey's next great hometown" with the project, Toro said from his office in Atlanta.

Toro, a Belvidere native who graduated from Rutgers University, said the company toured several Garden State towns in the hopes of emulating them. Those towns included Montclair, Summit, Spring Lake, Princeton, Westfield, Red Bank, Asbury Park and Hoboken. 

The new community will generate tens of thousands of jobs and will be visited by millions of people each year, North American Properties said in the statement. The company also believes the project will serve as a national example of what it called next-generation, mixed-use development.

A previously proposed plan at the site was approved by local and state agencies in 2014. The company, however, has since updated its redevelopment plan and is in the process of securing those approvals to implement the project. 

In its statement, North American properties said a "critical component" of the project's financing would come from the New Jersey Economic Development Authority through the Economic Redevelopment & Growth Program.   

Luke Nozicka may be reached at lnozicka@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @lukenozicka. 

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A former Dunellen recreation director has been found guilty of sexually assaulting a teenage basketball player on numerous occasions

A former Dunellen recreation director has been found guilty of sexually assaulting a teenage basketball player for nearly two years. 

Christopher Tarver, 45, of Jackson Township, was found guilty by a Middlesex County jury of 20 counts that included second-degree sexual assault, fourth-degree criminal sexual contact, official misconduct and endangering the welfare of a child, the county prosecutor's office said Wednesday. 

Christopher Tarver (Photo provided)Luke Nozicka | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com 

Tarver faces up to 50 years in prison when he is sentenced March 9 by Superior Court Judge Colleen Flynn.

The former Middlesex County College basketball coach also faces charges of sexual assault, endangering the welfare of a child and official misconduct in cases involving three other child victims, authorities said. 

During opening arguments in the trial that began Oct. 10, prosecutors said Tarver sexually touched the player when he was 16 and 17 on multiple occasions from 2010 to late 2011 in Edison, Dunellen and Atlantic City. 

At least one of the assaults occurred in a sauna at the county college in Edison, where Tarver worked as a basketball coach from 2006 to 2014, Assistant Prosecutor Brian Shevlin said. 

Tarver was also found in possession of child pornography in Jackson Township in 2014 during the execution of a search warrant, Middlesex County Prosecutor Andrew C. Carey said in a statement. 

The teen Tarver assaulted thought with his help, he could reach his dream of playing Division I basketball, according to the prosecutor. Tarver used that power and exploited the teenager for "his own sexual purposes," Shelvin said. 

NJ Advance Media, the parent company of NJ.com, does not identify victims of sexual assault. 

At opening arguments, Tarver's defense attorney, Peter Weiner, asked the jurors to keep an open mind during the trial and reminded them the prosecutors needed to prove Tarver's guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. He said Tarver had coached more than 500 people in the span of 30 years.

"I want you to keep in mind that your job here is to find the truth and the facts," he said. 

The investigation began when a victim, who was a member of the Monmouth Power Sports Club, a traveling basketball team affiliated with the Amateur Athletic Union, contacted authorities. Tarver had been the coach and executive director of the team since 1995.

Tarver began as director of Dunellen Recreation in 2004, but was suspended soon after he was arrested in 2014.

He was also employed as a men's basketball coach at Middlesex County College from 2006 to March 2014. He became the college's head basketball coach in June 2010.

Luke Nozicka may be reached at lnozicka@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @lukenozicka.

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