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Indoor Track: Event-by-event preview of the 2018 Meet of Champions

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Athletes to watch and medal predictions for all 24 races.


Glimpse of History: A father-and-son store in Milltown

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MILLTOWN -- Phillip Schlosser Sr., left and Phillip Schlosser Jr. are shown standing in front of their grocery store in Milltown in 1890. MORE: Vintage photos around New Jersey The individual seated in the wagon is unidentified. The store was located at 29 S. Main St. and later became the site of a gas station. If you would like to...

MILLTOWN -- Phillip Schlosser Sr., left and Phillip Schlosser Jr. are shown standing in front of their grocery store in Milltown in 1890.

MORE: Vintage photos around New Jersey

The individual seated in the wagon is unidentified. The store was located at 29 S. Main St. and later became the site of a gas station.

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.

Boys basketball: Champions crowned, milestones & more hot takes for Feb. 23

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More and more players are reaching milestones, while county tourneys take center stage.

5 more charged with Hurricane Sandy relief fraud to repair vacation homes

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One man received more than $177,000 in funds after allegedly lying and saying his damaged home was his primary residence

Five more New Jersey residents have been charged with defrauding the state and federal government out of Hurricane Sandy relief money by claiming their damaged properties were their primary residences.

In all, 109 people have been charged since 2014 with applying for assistance under false pretenses, the state Attorney General's office said in a statement Friday.

The following people were charged: 

  • David Silva, 64, of Little Egg Harbor Township
  • Appolonia DiPiazza, 53, of Lodi
  • Wayne DesRosiers, 72, of Roseland
  • Joseph Ponsoda, 33, of Belle Mead
  • Nancy Nocera, 60, of Brielle

Silva received $177,225 in funds by saying his primary residence was in Little Egg Harbor when he actually lived in Edison at the time of the October 2012 storm, authorities said. He is charged with theft by deception and unsworn falsification. 

DiPiazza got $125,159 by claiming he lived in Little Egg Harbor and is charged with theft by deception, authorities said.

Sandy victim's rebuilt house destroyed again, this time by fire

DesRosier is charged with theft by deception and unsworn falsification after getting $47,787, authorities said. He said he lived Lavalette when the property was actually just a vacation home, authorities said. 

Ponsoda was issued $26,992 to repair a vacation home in Lavalette, officials said. He is charged with theft by deception and unsworn falsification.

Nocera received $12,270 by allegedly reporting that her seasonal residence in Brielle was her year-round home, authorities said. She resided in Staten Island, N.Y in 2012. Nocera is charged with theft by deception. 

In a statement Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal called the alleged thefts "egregious" and "deplorable."

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

 

Rutgers students, workers march to demand $15 minimum wage on campus (VIDEO)

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Last year, Rutgers President Robert Barchi responded to student protests by raising the campus minimum wage from $8.44 an hour to $11 an hour, effective Jan 1.

Hundreds of Rutgers students and unionized employees rallied Friday in a continued push for higher wages for all campus workers. 

The Rutgers University chapter of United Students Against Sweatshops organized the campus march to demand that minimum wage for all workers -- including 13,000 student workers and 20,000 unionized employees -- be raised to $15.

Students were joined at the rally by people from around the country attending the United Students Against Sweatshops National Conference, which is being held at Rutgers on Friday and Saturday. 

Last year, Rutgers President Robert Barchi responded to student protests by raising the campus minimum wage from $8.44 an hour to $11 an hour, effective Jan 1.

The 30 percent hike only applied to student workers.

But students said the raise to $11 was not enough and they would not settle for "poverty pay."

"While we won $11, this is only a partial victory," organizers said when announcing Friday's march, saying that Barchi "threw them a bone."

"If he was willing to give us $11 before, imagine what we'll get when we take back our streets," organizers said.

Rutgers officials said they are trying to keep the state university affordable for all students.

"Knowing that more than 13,000 of our students work many hours each week on our campuses to defray education costs, President Barchi increased the minimum wage for student workers employed by Rutgers on all campuses from $8.44 per hour to $11 per hour, effective Jan. 1, 2018," university officials said in a statement. "The university will continue to work to keep tuition increases at a minimum while seeking new ways to support students as they pursue their degrees."

Members of Rutgers' faculty union, the American Association of University Professors-American Federation of Teachers, also attended the rally. They pledged to stand in solidarity with the students while also fighting for union workers' rights.

"What's been happening is that tuition is going up. We have very few scholarships and fellowships left," said Deepa Kumar, a Rutgers professor and president of the  faculty union.

"Our students have to work to make ends meet, which they shouldn't have to do. And then being paid a wage that doesn't allow you to pay your rent, to pay your bills, to pay your tuition. That's just wrong," Kumar said.

Friday's rally is part a series of "Working People's Day of Action" events scheduled for this weekend nationwide. The events are organized by the national "It's about Freedom" campaign, as workers around the country plan to hold events to push for higher wages.

Look inside: New N.J. supermarket features Indian fruits and veggies, Korean cuisine

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Plainsboro has had only specialty grocery stores since SuperFresh closed in 2013.

Plainsboro got its first supermarket in more than five years Friday when a SuperFresh store opened in the same location where it shut its doors in 2013

The 42,000-square foot market in Plainsboro Plaza will include an extensive selection of Asian groceries, including Korean, Chinese and Japanese cuisine in the store's food court, the company said in a news release. 

SuperFresh, a brand that Key Food Stores purchased from A&P after it went bankrupt in 2015, held a location in the same building until proliferating Route 1 food shopping options forced the store to shut its doors, the company said.

The closure left Plainsboro with only speciality grocery stores and spurred residents in July of 2014 to create a Facebook page advocating for a general-purpose supermarket to come to the township of 23,000 people. 

The new SuperFresh store offers fresh and frozen seafood, an on-site butcher and produce, including Asian and Indian fruits and vegetables. 

The grocery store's focus on Asian food matches the rapidly changing demographics of Plainsboro, roughly half of which is made up of Asian residents, Census data shows. 

"They've combined this supermarket really to address the demographics of Plainsboro," Mayor Peter Cantu told NJ Advance Media. "It's not just simply an Asian market, but it's a market that combines the traditional American supermarket with a variety of Asian foods."

Senior citizens will receive a 5 percent discount on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and uniformed workers will get a 10 percent discount every day. 

Cantu said he expects SuperFresh to draw more activity to Plainsboro Plaza, which includes roughly 40 other stores and restaurants. 

"I think this will be a shot in the arm," Cantu said. "This, obviously, will bring folks into the center, which should be a positive for all the existing retailers, as well as bring others into the center." 

Middlesex County has seen at least three other grocery stores -- Aldi in East Brunswick, Whole Foods in Metuchen and Trader Joe's in North Brunswick -- open in the past year. 

Key Food Stores operates 11 other SuperFresh stores, all of which are in northern New Jersey or in Staten Island, New York. 

Marisa Iati may be reached at miati@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @Marisa_Iati or on Facebook here. Find NJ.com on Facebook

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Acupuncturist charged with sexually assaulting a patient

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Edward Raskin, 55, has practices in Springfield and New York City.

Acupuncturist charged with sexually assaulting patientEdward Raskin, 55, was charged with second-degree sexual assault. 

An acupuncturist with practices in New York City and Springfield was arrested and charged with sexual assault of a patient, authorities said Friday.

A patient told police that Edward Raskin, sexually assaulted him or her during a scheduled appointment on Dec. 30, 2017, the Union County Prosecutor's Office said in a news release. 

Raskin, a 55-year-old Chatham Township resident, turned himself in to Springfield police on Thursday afternoon. He faces charges of second-degree sexual assault and fourth-degree criminal sexual contact.

If convicted on the sexual assault charge, he faces five to 10 years in prison, the release said.

Anyone with more information about Raskin can contact Springfield Detective Sgt. James Mirabile at 973-912-2242.    

Joe Brandt can be reached at jbrandt@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JBrandt_NJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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2018 Region wrestling quarterfinals: Live updates, results, brackets and links

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NJ.com's complete coverage from the quarterfinal round of the region wrestling tournament.

2018 REGION WRESTLING QUARTERFINAL ROUND

We are one step closer. The road to Atlantic City continues with the Region quarterfinals Friday night. Winners will advance to the semifinal round on Saturday morning. Wrestlers losing in the quarterfinal round still have a chance to make it to Atlantic City, battling through the wrestleback rounds on Saturday.   


MORE: Wednesday night's coverage


NJ.com will be your place to follow all of the action. We'll have live updates, results, stories, photos and more from around the state. Check back all night on Friday. 


REGION HOMEPAGES
R-1 | R-2 | R-3 | R-4
R-5 | R-6 | R-7 | R-8


NOTE: All brackets will be updated as results come in. Click on a weight within each region to see the brackets.

Region 1
•  Live updates
 Recap
 Quarterfinal results
 Semifinals pairings
  Continually updated R-1 brackets
106 | 113 | 120 | 126 | 132 | 138 | 145
152 | 160 | 170 | 182 | 195 | 220 | 285

Region 2
Live updates
 Recap
  Photo gallery
 Quarterfinal results
 Semifinals pairings
•  Continually updated R-2 brackets
106 | 113 | 120 | 126 | 132 | 138 | 145
152 | 160 | 170 | 182 | 195 | 220 | 285 


RELATED: 'Most hated player in Jersey' still kneeling for anthem


Region 3
• Live updates
 Recap
 Quarterfinal results
 Semifinals pairings
•  Continually updated R-3 brackets
106 | 113 | 120 | 126 | 132 | 138 | 145
152 | 160 | 170 | 182 | 195 | 220 | 285

Region 4
• Live updates
 Undefeated Zach DelVecchio of S. Plainfield withdraws
 Recap
  Photo gallery
 Quarterfinal results
 Semifinals pairings
•  Continually updated R-4 brackets
106 | 113 | 120 | 126 | 132 | 138 | 145
152 | 160 | 170 | 182 | 195 | 220 | 285

Region 5
Live updates
 Recap
  Photo gallery
 Quarterfinal results
 Semifinals pairings
•  Continually updated R-5 brackets
106 | 113 | 120 | 126 | 132 | 138 | 145
152 | 160 | 170 | 182 | 195 | 220 | 285

Region 6
Live updates 
 Recap
•  WATCH: Top-seeded Koehler of CBA scored a 2nd-period fall 
•  WATCH: Allentown's Lamparelli scored a pin in quarterfinals 
 Quarterfinal results
 Semifinals pairings
•  Continually updated R-6 brackets
106 | 113 | 120 | 126 | 132 | 138 | 145
152 | 160 | 170 | 182 | 195 | 220 | 285

Region 7
Live updates
 Recap
  Photo gallery
 Quarterfinal results
 Semifinals pairings
•  Continually updated R-7 brackets
106 | 113 | 120 | 126 | 132 | 138 | 145
152 | 160 | 170 | 182 | 195 | 220 | 285

Region 8
Live updates
 Recap
  Photo gallery
 Quarterfinal results
 Semifinals pairings
•  Continually updated R-8 brackets
106 | 113 | 120 | 126 | 132 | 138 | 145
152 | 160 | 170 | 182 | 195 | 220 | 285


Town's disgraced former recreation director admits fondling another boy

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A former recreation director and ex-basketball coach who was previously convicted of sexually assaulting a teen player pleaded guilty to charges involving two other victims.

A former Dunellen recreation director and ex-basketball coach who was previously convicted of sexually assaulting a teenage basketball player pleaded guilty to charges involving two other victims, officials said Friday.

christopher-tarver-ed7f4ce1f634ac0c.jpgChristopher Tarver (FILE PHOTO) 

Christopher Tarver, 46, of Jackson Township, pleaded guilty Thursday to charges including child endangerment by engaging in sexual conduct with a juvenile and official misconduct, according to Middlesex County Prosecutor Andrew C. Carey. The charges stem from a 2015 indictment.

Tarver faces a possible 25 year prison term in the latest case, to run concurrent with the sentence he will receive from his November 2017 sex assault conviction after a plea agreement with prosecutors.

"As an open plea, there is no agreement as to the time he faces in state prison; that is left to the Judge's discretion," the prosecutor's office said in a statement.

A Middlesex County jury in November found Tarver guilty of 20 counts, including sexual assault, child endangerment, official misconduct and possession of child pornography.

Prosecutors said Tarver sexually touched a player on several occasions from 2010 to late 2011 in Edison, Dunellen and Atlantic City.

At least one assault occurred in the sauna at the Edison-based college, Assistant Prosecutor Brian Shevlin said at trial last year.

Tarver faces up to 50 years in prison from that conviction when he is sentenced in March.

The prosecutor's office launched an investigation after a victim, who was a member of the Monmouth Power Sports Club, a traveling basketball team affiliated with the Amateur Athletic Union, alerted authorities, according to officials. Tarver was a coach and executive director of that team since 1995.

Officials in Dunellen suspended Tarver from his Recreation Department post following his 2014 arrest.

The former town official worked as a men's basketball coach with Middlesex County College from Oct. 21, 2006 to March 5, 2014, and was selected as the school's head basketball coach in June 2010, according to officials.

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

New Brunswick student latest charged in false school threats

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The student falsely claimed he had a gun in his backpack, police said.

A New Brunswick Middle School student is the latest person charged in a string of recent false  threats of violence against schools in New Jersey.

The 14-year-old was arrested Friday after allegedly commenting while in the school that he had a gun in his backpack, New Brunswick police said Saturday.

Authorities said the boy -- who had no gun -- was charged with creating a false alarm.

Police said the boy, whom they did not identify, made the false threat at the end of the school day, and a teacher was told of the boy's comment. New Brunswick detectives and school officials said they quickly determined there was no gun.

School threats throughout N.J.

When interviewed, the boy said he was "just joking" about having a weapon, police said. Police also went to the boy's home but said they did not find a weapon there, either.

New Brunswick authorities said they take all such threats seriously and urge anyone who sees or hears something suspicious to report it.

There have been a rash of false threats against schools since the Feb. 14 shooting at a high school in Parkland, Florida, that left 17 people dead. A former student was arrested and charged in that case.

Bill Gallo Jr. may be reached at bgallo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow Bill Gallo Jr. on Twitter @bgallojr. Find NJ.com on Facebook

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WATCH: Cop punches cuffed man in cruiser, claims man kicked him in groin

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Todd Ritter, 54, of Millstone, has been charged in the Feb. 12 encounter and suspended without pay. Watch video

A Piscataway cop punched a handcuffed man in the back of his cruiser and, when the man tried to tell another officer about the assault, claimed the man had kicked him "in the nuts," a police video shows. 

The officer in the video, Todd Ritter, 54, of Millstone (Monmouth County), has been charged in the Feb. 12 altercation and suspended without pay. 

The handcuffed man also claims in the video from inside the police car, which was released Saturday by the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office, that he was assaulted by another officer during his arrest. 

No other officers have been charged with wrongdoing in the incident. 

(The full video, edited by NJ Advance Media only for language, appears at the bottom of this story.)

"I didn't resist. ... I ain't resist at all," the man, whose name has not been released, says in the video to the other officer about his arrest. "This [expletive] just slammed me on my head and put his knee, kneed me in my face."

"You think it's funny?" the man asks. "... He got mad because I said something, and he gone and slammed me. ... I said I can't breathe, then he threatened and said he was going to [expletive] me up and everything."

The video shows the man kick the glass separating the front and back seats multiple times and threaten to kill the officers. 

"I'm gonna break it," the man yells. "... Why you gotta lie? ... I'm gonna kill all you all [expletive], watch!"

Ritter stops the cruiser about 10 seconds later, opens the back door, grabs the cuffed man and with his left hand near the man's throat, punches the man with his right hand, the video shows. 

"Stop kicking. Stop stressing. Stop kicking me in the balls," the officer says as he holds the man down in the back seat.  

"Put me in a different car," the man yells to another officer. "Yo, this guy just punched me in my face."

"This a--hole just kicked me in the nuts," Ritter says to the other officer in response. 

"He's lying! I swear to God, he's lying! He punched me in my face!" the man yells.

"Shut up," Ritter responds as he wrestles the man out of the cruiser.

Prosecutors have also accused Ritter -- who joined the force in 1996 and earns $120,948 annually, according to state pension records -- of filing false records to try to cover up the incident. 

He faces charges of tampering with public records, falsifying and tampering with records, and assault.

Ritter is scheduled to appear in Superior Court in New Brunswick on March 15. 

Olivia Rizzo may be reached at orizzo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @LivRizz. Find NJ.com on Facebook 

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.

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State wrestling qualifiers: Every wrestler advancing from the regions, 2018

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The complete list of 2018 NJSIAA State Wrestling Championships qualifiers heading to Atlantic City

WATCH: Parkland students rally in N.J. alongside Menendez for gun control reform

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Survivors of the high school shooting in Parkland, Fla. met Sunday with U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez to rally around gun control in New Jersey. Watch video

They've taken buses to their state capitol, flights to meet with the president and now they've come to New Jersey.

Student survivors of the mass shooting at a Parkland, Florida, high school brought their message of gun control to the Temple B'nai Abraham in Livingston on Sunday. 

"This is an issue of lives," said David Hogg, a student at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School who has become a high-profile voice for survivors of the attack. "This is a non-partisan issue that we need to work together to solve," 

The rally comes more than a week after a 19-year-old former student turned gunman mowed down 17 students and teachers at the campus on Valentine's Day. 

Since the rampage, student survivors have mobilized to force a conversation and change around access to high-powered assault-style rifles, such as the AR-15 used in the massacre.

Hogg said he was in his AP science class when he heard a pop that sounded like a gunshot. At first, students thought it was a drill but learned it was "life or death."

"I'm here, I'm alive and and we have to change something about this," Hogg said.

The students, as well as leaders from local religious and advocacy groups, met with U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez, D-N.J., as he led a rally for gun reform legislation.

Officials at the temple where they rallied had to repeatedly fold back temporary walls to make the room bigger. Even still, it was standing room only and the rally started late to make sure all the people who were standing outside in the rain were able to come in.

"How high must the body count climb before Congress puts the safety of our families ahead of the gun industry," Menendez remarked.

The senator called for universal background checks to be completed before guns are sold. He spoke highly of the Parkland students, who sat behind him, saying they had turned their grief "into a movement." 

Those students have made national news, appearing on nightly cable news shows, marching to Florida's state capital to demand change and posting online using the hashtag, "#neveragain."

"They have seen the blood of their classmates and they are not standing still," said Rabbi Avi Friedman, of the Temple Ohr Shalom.

The actions of the Parkland students have inspired their contemporaries across the country, including in New Jersey, as the shootings became a flashpoint in the nation's long-simmering gun control debate.

Last week, hundreds of students walked out of school in solidarity with their Parkland peers.

Expo preview

Two New Jersey high school students were among those who came to Sunday's rally to be a part of the conversation. They said they are both planning walkouts at their schools as part of a larger, national walkout set for March 14. 

"We want our government to see that we're more than just teenagers," said Darcy Schleifstein, a sophomore at Randolph High School. "We want change and we mean business."

Schleifstein said she and other high school students have banded together in light of the shooting earlier this month, checking in to make sure everyone's ok and talking about what they can do to bring action.

"It's been an enlightening process," said Samantha Levy, a sophomore at Columbia High School. "Some kids are kinda clueless about what's going on in the world. But, there's much-needed change."

The Parkland students return to class on Wednesday, where they will be greeted by hand-painted hearts made by Newark students.

Behind the microphone on Sunday, the students encouraged everyone in the room to stand up and join their efforts to continue the conversation about gun control and bring about change.

"Stay woke and get out and vote," Hogg said.

Sara Jerde may be reached at sjerde@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @SaraJerde.

Which N.J. counties have the highest, lowest property taxes?

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New Jersey's average property tax bill climbed $141 to $8,690 last year. See how much your county's average bill increased here.

N.J. pets in need: Feb. 26, 2018

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Dogs and cats throughout New Jersey patiently await homes.

Here is this week's collection of some of the dogs and cats in need of adoption in New Jersey.

We are now accepting dogs and cats to appear in the gallery from nonprofit shelters and rescues throughout New Jersey.

If a group wishes to participate in this weekly gallery on nj.com, please contact Greg Hatala at ghatala@starledger.com or call 973-836-4922.

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


Traffic alert: NJ Turnpike jammed as 2 dump trucks, tractor-trailer crash

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Traffic is backed up near Exit 9

Traffic on the New Jersey Turnpike is backed up in Middlesex County on Monday morning after a crash involving an overturned dump truck and two tractor-trailers, State Police said. 

No one was seriously hurt in the crash, which occurred on the northbound outer roadway in Edison near milepost 84.4, Sgt. Lawrence Peele said. The dump truck overturned, Peele said. 

There are multiple lane closures just north of exit 9, where the crash took at about 9:30 a.m, according to State Police. 

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

 

 

Tourney tips off today: Complete girls hoops state tournament preview, with brackets

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See the latest links in NJ.com girls basketball state tournament preview.

Get your game face on. The tournament starts Monday.

Here is our complete and extensive state tournament preview, with lots of serious basketball analysis and a little fun too.

NJ.com will, of course have extensive round-by-round coverage of the tournament, from now through the T of C final on March 18.

BRACKET-BY-BRACKET
All the brackets 
Favorites, dark horses, players to watch & more - every bracket
Sites & times for the state tournament

FEATURES
NJ.com's predicts all 20 sectional champs
Upset alerts: Our complete Round 1 picks

X-Factors: Which players will excel in the state tournament?

Players to watch in each section of 2018 state tourney
• 17 lower-seeded teams that can make a run
15 takeaways from the state tournament seeds 

Brian Deakyne may be reached at bdeakyne@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @BrianDeakyne. Like NJ.com High School Sports on Facebook.

Tourney tips off today: Complete boys hoops state tournament preview, with brackets

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Complete guide to the 2018 state tournament.

The boys basketball preview is essentially complete with the addition Thursday of the huge bracket-by-bracket breakdown. But be sure to keep coming back to this post - we have a piece or two to add before play starts on Monday - like Friday's addition of can't-miss Round 1 games.

BRACKET-BY-BRACKET
Every section's favorites, dark horses, players to watch & more
 All the brackets
 Sites and times for Group semis and finals

FEATURES
23 can't-miss Round 1 games
 Predicting all 20 section champs
 From Antoine to Zona: A-to-Z guide to the state tourney

 High seeds poised to be tourney spoilers

 NJ.com's superhero squad
 X-factors for the state tournament 
 Takeaways from the state tournament seeding meeting

Richard Greco may be reached at rgreco@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @Richard_V_Greco. Mike Kinney may be reached at mkinney@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on twitter @MikeKinneyHS. Kevin Minnick may be reached at kminnick@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on twitter @kminnicksportsLike NJ.com HS sports on Facebook.

Search still on for gunmen who killed sneaker store owner 2 years ago (VIDEO)

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The Union County Prosecutor's Office is asking the public for help identifying two men seen leaving from a rear door after Jamal Gaines, 21, was shot on the 1500 block of Irving Street at about 9:15 p.m. on Feb. 26, 2016. Watch video

JamalGaines.JPGJamal Gaines, 21, who was shot and killed two years ago in his Rahway sneaker store. (NJ.com file photo) 

On the two-year anniversary of the shooting death of a Rahway sneaker store owner, authorities are re-releasing surveillance video footage that they hope will help capture the alleged killers.

The Union County Prosecutor's Office is asking the public for help identifying two men seen leaving after Jamal Gaines, 21, was shot on the 1500 block of Irving Street at about 9:15 p.m. on Feb. 26, 2016. 

Two people with their faces obscured entered the sneaker store through a rear door, a physical struggle ensued that culminated in a fatal shot being fired. The two suspects then ran out the same rear door that they entered through and sprinted down an alley. One of the suspects had a pronounced limp.

The person with the limp wore dark pants, light colored sneakers and a dark hooded sweatshirt with light colored patches on the left arm. The other person appeared to be wearing a light-colored hooded sweatshirt, blue jeans and brown or beige shoes. Both brandished handguns, authorities said. 

Gaines, a 2012 graduate of Rahway High School, co-owned East Coast Boutique with two partners. His family described him as a "sneaker head" who got into the business of selling new and consigning high-end sneakers after reading Tony Robbins books and studying other inspirational entrepreneurs. 

Anyone with information about the shooting should contact Homicide Task Force Sgt. Michael Manochio at 908-966-2287 or Sgt. Sofia Santos at 908-577-4256. The Union County Crime Stoppers are also continuing to offer 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.

Allison Pries may be reached at apries@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @AllisonPries. Find NJ.com on Facebook.  

Boys basketball: Who are the top 30 big men in the last 30 years?

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N.J. has produced outstanding big men over the past 30 years. Who are the elite of the elite?

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