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HS baseball season stats leaders: Close-up look at who's hot in the April cold

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Despite the cold and wet, there are some baseball players across N.J. warming things up.


Which D1 women's lacrosse program has the most N.J. alums on its roster?

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Find out which college has the most NJ alums on its roster.

Cops' body cams were off during teen's bloody, violent arrest (VIDEO)

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The lack of video from the other officers creates a more than a 2-minute gap in the arrest -- which has spurred criminal charges and a federal lawsuit Watch video

None of the officers involved in last year's violent arrest, in which one Carteret cop faces criminal charges, switched on their body-worn cameras during a struggle that left a 16-year-old bloodied and bruised.

The lack of video from the other officers creates a nearly 2-minute gap in the encounter and violated the New Jersey Attorney General's directive for body cameras, which experts say was specifically crafted to limit situations where there's a dispute over what happened during an officer's encounter with a citizen. 

REIMANSTATUS_miller_460.JPGCarteret Police Officer Joseph Reiman appears in court on official misconduct charges in New Brunswick on Friday, Feb. 9, 2018. (Andrew Miller | For NJ Advance Media 

NJ Advance Media reviewed the final police video from the encounter, released last week through a public records request, and more than a dozen other previously obtained videos to find the gap of time -- a period that will likely become a contentious issue in the criminal and civil cases against Officer Joseph Reiman, according to experts.

The borough's police director, Kenneth Lebrato, declined to comment beyond providing a copy of the local guidance on body-worn cameras, which appears to be similar, if not identical, to the state's directive.

State and local guidelines require body-worn cameras to be activated when an "officer is responding to a call for service and is at or near the location to which the officer has been dispatched." Officers must  announce, document and report to a supervisor when a camera is deactivated and should reactivate it when it is "safe and practicable to do so," according to the directives.  

According to police videos reviewed by NJ Advance Media, the incident started just after 12:30 on the morning of May 31, 2017, when Reiman tried to pull over a sedan, which was driven by an unlicensed teen. 

"Anyone near? I got a car taking off on me ... he's going down toward Bergen," the officer can be heard saying over the radio in his brother's cruiser. 

Officer Charles Reiman, the middle Reiman brother, starts speeding to the scene as the department tries to get an exact location of the crash, according to a recording from his car.

A dashboard camera from Joseph Reiman's police car shows the brief police chase and captures the image of the officer as he punches the teen for more than a minute. But the two fall out of view and what happens next could not be made out in the blurry nighttime video. 

Charles Reiman pulls up to the scene about 90 seconds after getting the call and finds his brother and the teen on the ground just feet from where the teen crashed his parent's car into a suspension wire, a dashboard recording shows.

The officer didn't activate his body worn camera for almost two minutes. He began recording as the officers read the teen his rights and put him in the cruiser to take him to police headquarters, according to recordings released by the borough. 

In that time, two other officers who assisted in the arrest -- Officer Antonio Dominguez and special law enforcement officer Kevin Horn -- arrived on scene. Dominguez did not turn on his device, and Horn doesn't appear to be wearing a camera, according to a review of police videos.

The department previously announced it had equipped all its officers with the technology.

Another officer, who was not involved in the arrest but responded to the scene, turned on her body camera after approaching the scene 51 seconds before Charles Reiman activated his device.

"Does he need to go to the hospital?" she asks.

When the 16-year-old and Charles Reiman get to the police station, the teen tells the officer he's having trouble breathing. Reiman responds, saying an ambulance is on the way. 

In another police video, which captured other Carteret officers discussing the encounter in the hours that followed, one officer remarked that probably none of the officers had their body cameras on but the department's administration would cover for them.

Officer Joseph Reiman, the brother of longtime mayor Daniel Reiman, has since been indicted on a charge of assault and multiple counts of official misconduct, including failing to turn on his body camera in the arrest. 

The Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office has said the dashcam corroborated the teen's account of the encounter. Reiman's attorney has argued the teen's injuries were the result of the car crash, but since the car was destroyed, he was unable to inspect the wreck. 

Lee Vartan -- a former first assistant to the New Jersey Attorney General, who was in the state office when the guideline was drafted and implemented -- said the statewide policy was rolled out in 2015 to create uniform rules as to when to turn on body cameras.

Vartan said it was an important policy to protect officers against baseless accusations in the majority of cases but, also, in the 1 percent of instances where there is potential wrongdoing to provide objective evidence to appease the community. 

"It benefits all parties," he said. "Now, we have subjective evidence applied on both sides to battle what happened."

"These are the thing the prosecution will latch on to," said Jon Shane, a professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice and retired Newark police captain, referring to the gap in time. 

Shane said, while similar lapses in policing often come up when a criminal case goes to trial, it creates an uphill battle for the defense, which now has to create a narrative for the missing time.

NJ Advance Media came across one other instance last year when looking into Joseph Reiman's use-of-force history during an arrest in 2016 when a second officer, Dominguez, arrived and did not activate his body camera until Aramis Rosario was put in the backseat of a police car.

When questioned about the start time of the recording, Carteret Capt. Michael Dammann, who handled most of the internal affairs investigations and excessive force complaints, said previously he gave his officers some leeway in activating their cameras when responding to a scene so the officers could focus on policing and public safety first. 

Rosario charges have since been dismissed. 

It was unclear if the two officers were disciplined for not turning on their cameras. 

According to Vartan, a likely recourse for violating the state AG guidelines could range from additional training to internal discipline, which would be handled by local internal affairs and not made public.

"Turning off [body-worn cameras] or not turning them on could create a great deal of problems for the officers," Shane said but explained it would only likely be an issue if it was a pattern with these officers. 

Police experts interviewed by NJ Advance Media agreed it was more common for the first officer to not have their body-camera on if an incident escalated quickly without notice. But they said, superiors rely on the assisting officers, who should be aware of the situation before arriving, to capture the majority of the encounter on their cameras.

When asked about how the lack of video affected the case, Reiman's attorney, Charles Sciarra, said in a statement: "If I have this correct, the Star-Ledger consulted an 'expert' about body cameras who concluded I have a difficult job. Must be a slow news day."

"What is relevant is that my client was charged with official misconduct - five years no parole -  for knowingly and consciously not turning on his body camera while he pursued this maniac who was driving nearly eighty miles an hour on residential streets while also trying to radio out information on the police radio," he said.

Reiman, who was hired in 2015 as a disabled veteran, has been suspended with pay as he fights the charges. He currently has an annual salary of $61,505, which is about $5,000 more than he was making when he was charged, according to salary records obtained through a records request. 

A federal lawsuit has also been filed by the teen's family over the arrest. 

The teen was only issued a series of traffic summonses in the days after the accident, according to this father. 

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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Jack and Jill need a home together

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Jill and her brother, Jack, are inseparable.

mx0415pet.jpgJill 

EAST BRUNSWICK -- Jill, pictured, and Jack are 11-month-old sibling cats in the care of the Karma Cat and Zen Dog Rescue Society.

Rescued as strays, the two are inseparable and must be adopted together. Jill is the more outgoing of the two; Jack waits and follows his sister's lead.

The two need a patient adopter who will allow them time to adapt to new surroundings. Jack has been neutered, Jill spayed, and both are up-to-date on shots.

For more information on adopting Jack and Jill, contact the nonprofit rescue society, which is currently caring for more than 28 cats and kittens, at 732-568-4694, email info@karmacatzendog.org or go to petfinder.com/shelters/NJ639.html.

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.

Glimpse of History: A pit stop in New Brunswick

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NEW BRUNSWICK -- An anonymous poster to historical photo website shorpy.com wrote: "This photo, taken by my mother in 1951, shows my father with his first car -- a 1950 Studebaker Champion 4 door sedan. MORE: Vintage photos around New Jersey The buildings in the background are the New Brunswick New Jersey garden apartments where they lived until 1953." If...

NEW BRUNSWICK -- An anonymous poster to historical photo website shorpy.com wrote: "This photo, taken by my mother in 1951, shows my father with his first car -- a 1950 Studebaker Champion 4 door sedan.

MORE: Vintage photos around New Jersey

The buildings in the background are the New Brunswick New Jersey garden apartments where they lived until 1953."

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 week's baseball hot takes: Milestones, huge moments and top performers

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From hit-by-pitch leaders, searing sluggers, hot teams, on-a-tear players: Baseball's best for Week 2.

N.J. doctor suspended for allegedly overprescribing 'most powerful' opioids

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In a single year, the doctor prescribed more than 150,000 pills and units to patients.

A Middlesex County doctor has been suspended for allegedly overprescribing hundreds of opioid medications, including fentanyl, oxycodone and morphine, in "excessive amounts and dosages," Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal and the, Division of Consumer Affairs announced in a statement.

Eddie Gamao, a 77-year-old general practitioner in Piscataway, agreed to temporarily surrender his license to the state Board of Medical Examiners for allegedly writing more than 1,000 prescriptions (more than 150,000 pills and units in all) between February 2017 and February 2018, officials said.

Nearly 80 percent of the prescriptions had daily morphine doses triple the federal government limit, the statement said.

Gamoa could not be reached for comment.

The allegations surfaced after a pharmacist filed a complaint alleging Gamao may have been indiscriminately prescribing these medications to three generations of a one family, including an 88-year-old grandmother, officials said.

The pharmacist's complaint was filed through the New Jersey Prescription Monitoring Program's Suspicious Activity Report (SAR) online portal, a database aimed at identifying problem-prescribers.

The temporary suspension of Gamao's license marks the first time a physician's practicing authority has been restricted after activity reported through the SAR portal, the state's latest expansions to its Prescription Monitoring Program, as New Jersey continues to battle the ongoing opioid crisis in the state.

In just 12 months, officials allege that Gamao prescribed more than 9,000 oxycodone pills to the grandmother, her son and daughter-in-law, and more than 1,000 units of opioid painkillers to the grandmother's two adult grandchildren in dosages that met or exceeded federal government limits, according to officials.

"This doctor was prescribing highly addictive opioids at a rate that simply had no medical justification," Grewal said in the statement. "This case not only illustrates the vital role pharmacists play in New Jersey's fight to end opioid addiction, it also shows that we are starting to see success with the tools we've put in place to stem the flow of improperly prescribed opioids."

Gamao has also agreed to temporarily surrender his registration that allows him to prescribe controlled substances in the state, officials said.

Gamao's medical license will remain suspended until further action by the state Board of Medical Examiners and his registration to prescribe controlled substances will remain suspended until further order of the director of Consumer Affairs.

Spencer Kent may be reached at skent@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @SpencerMKent. Find the Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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State of N.J. girls lacrosse: Players of the Week & more from each conference

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A deep dive into each conference this week in N.J. girls lacrosse.


2 educators charged with pocketing nearly $45K from nonprofit

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Authorities arrested a principal and assistant superintendent Friday

A principal and assistant superintendent at a county vocational school allegedly stole money and property meant for a nonprofit that tutors kids and helps them apply to colleges.

Authorities arrested Joseph Armstead, the principal of Middlesex County Vocational & Technical School's Piscataway Campus, and Brian Bilal, assistant superintendent of the county vocational and technical schools, on Friday, the county prosecutor's office said in a statement.

They estimate that Armstead took about $32,500 while Bilal received about $12,350. 

Piscataway police detectives and the prosecutor's office investigated and found that between March 2016 and August 2017, the two 47-year-old men received checks from the organization despite not working for it, the statement said.

Armstead also allegedly used a debit card associated with the nonprofit for his personal gain.

Prosecutors also alleged that Armstead took about $10,000 worth of property from the nonprofit's offices and locked it up in a storage facility in Edison. 

Prosecutors did not name the nonprofit connected to their charges, and a spokeswoman did not immediately respond to a request for comment Friday.

Armstead, of Washington Township, Warren County, was charged with third-degree burglary, third-degree money laundering, and two counts of third-degree theft.

Bilal, of Dunellen, was charged with one count each of third-degree theft and conspiracy to commit theft. Both of Bilal's charges are connected to allegedly receiving paychecks from Armstead. 

The two were released following their arrests and have initial appearances scheduled in county superior court on May 3. It was not clear Friday if they had retained attorneys.

Authorities continue to investigate the case and ask anyone with information to call Piscataway Detective Dan Nee at 732-562-1100 or prosecutor's office detective Ryan Tighe at 732-745-3287.

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

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Super Pet Expo returns to the delight of dogs, cats, pigs -- and their owners

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The Super Pet Expo returns to Middlesex County with several new demonstrations and activities in addition to longtime favorites. Watch video

The Super Pet Expo has returned to Edison, bringing with it shopping and entertainment opportunities for pet owners and their pals.

This year there are several new demonstrations and activities in addition to returning favorites. 

Dogs, cats, birds, pigs, reptiles and exotic pets are all part of the 2018 expo.

New this year are pig agility demonstrations by Pig Placement Network and cat agility demonstrations by The International Cat Association.

"These demos show how important and fun it is to play daily with your cat," said Roeann Fulkerson, TICA director of Marketing and Business Development. "Cats can be taught at any age using a 'teaser' toy on a wand. They follow the motion counterclockwise, around the course." 

For dog lovers, there is the Ultimate Air dog competition where four-legged athletes soar through the air to fetch and fall into a 30,000-gallon pool. 

Luring 101 for dogs is set on an enclosed, 250-foot course to give dogs of all sizes a high-speed run as they case the lure. 

The family-friendly event opened Friday afternoon at the New Jersey Convention & Exposition Center in Edison. 

The expo features more than 200 pet-related exhibits and numerous unique entertainment and educational activities. The Super Pet Expo will continue through Sunday.

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

W+H student places at Chinese speech contest

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Student finishes strong at the Chinese Bridge Speech Contest.

mx0415schooledisonwardlaw (2).jpg Wardlaw+Hartridge School Upper School Head Bob Bowman presents Stan DeLaurentiis with a certificate of recognition from the Chinese Bridge Speech Contest  

EDISON -- Stanislav DeLaurentiis of Plainfield, a junior at The Wardlaw+Hartridge School, finished second at the 13th Chinese Bridge Speech Contest for U.S. High School Students, held March 31 at the University of Massachusetts' Confucius Institute in Boston.

The contest, open to high school students from non-Chinese speaking families, required students to write and present a speech in Chinese. First-, second- and third-place awards were presented to students at the beginner, intermediate and advanced levels.

DeLaurentiis finished second in the advanced level. Fellow New Jersey student Grant Gonsalves from the Montclair Kimberley Academy finished third at the beginner level.

"This competition was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience," said DeLaurentiis.

"Stan did an amazing job presenting the interesting material and demonstrating his true passion for the language and culture," said Wardlaw+Hartridge Mandarin teacher Hua Liu.

To submit school news send an email to middlesex@starledger.com.

N.J. pets in need: April 16, 2018

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Dogs and cats throughout New Jersey await adoption.

Petfinder.com, where you can find nearly a quarter of a million adoptable pets listed by more than 12,000 adoption groups, offers these tips to pet owners now that spring is -- finally -- near:

*  There will be plenty of sticks and branches on the ground after winter, and they can cause choking and severe mouth injuries to dogs. If your pet likes to chew and chase, make sure to use a tennis ball, Frisbee or other toy instead of branches.

*  You might be doing some spring cleaning; if a pet ingests a household cleaner, don't call a human poison control center - they won't be able to help with animals. Call your vet or the ASPCA poison control hotline, 888-426-4435.

*  Dogs can get seasonal allergies just like people ... but they manifest themselves in dogs more as skin conditions than sneezing. Check with your vet for treatment options.

*  Flea and tick prevention for dogs and cats should be continued year-round, but even if you take a break during winter months, make sure to apply the preventatives before the weather warms up.

A meaningful week: 45 can't-miss baseball games April 16-23

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The weather forecast isn't good, but the games are.

26-year-old who fought for his life after fiery wrong-way crash dies

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The 88-year-old man who went the wrong way on Route 9 in Woodbridge also died earlier this week.

After fighting for his life for four days, the 26-year-old man who was involved in a head-on collision on Route 9 last week has died. 

On the morning of April 8, an 88-year-old man named Thomas McHugh, of Cranford, turned onto Route 9 near Metuchen Avenue in Woodbridge going the wrong direction. He crashed into a 26-year-old man, whose vehicle then caught on fire. 

Woodbridge Police identified the 26-year-old as Victor Rodriguez of South Amboy. Rodriguez was taken to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, and then moved him to Temple University Hospital in Philadelphia. He died from his injuries on Saturday, police said.

Rodriguez's fiance, Shaheena Shahid, started a GoFundMe page to help offset funeral costs. She wrote that Rodriguez died having suffered third-degree burns on 60 percent of his body. 

"An 88-year old man driving on the wrong side of the road crashed into Victor as he was innocently heading home," she wrote on the page. "The crash resulted the car to set a flame, (sic) and Victor was stuck in his car burning alive for 20 minutes."

McHugh also died from his injuries earlier this week. Video obtained by police shows McHugh driving his Nissan Pathfinder along King Georges Road before he somehow entered Route 9 and began traveling north in the southbound lanes. 

Paige Gross may be reached at pgross@njadvancemedia.comFollow her on Twitter @By_paigegross. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Top track & field performers for Week 3 -- Our picks, your votes

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Let your voice be heard and cast your vote for N.J.'s top track and field performance from week 3!


Infant rushed to hospital after found near death on side of house

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An injured baby boy found abandoned on the side of a home in Highland Park on Monday afternoon was rushed to the hospital, according to authorities and a news station.

An injured baby boy found abandoned on the side of a home in Highland Park on Monday afternoon was rushed to the hospital, according to authorities and a news station.

The infant was alive while being transported to the hospital, according to a spokeswoman for the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office. Detectives responded earlier after receiving a report the baby was deceased, the spokeswoman said. 

The home is on Lincoln Avenue, News 12 reported. 

The prosecutor's office spokeswoman said she didn't know the the time the boy was found, the condition of the infant or to which hospital the ambulance headed. She declined to answer additional questions. 

Highland Park police didn't immediately respond to a message seeking additional information.

On Sunday, a baby was found stuffed in a duffel bag in Trenton. He is in good condition. 

Last week, a 10-month-old girl was discovered dead along train tracks in Jersey City. 

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

 

 

Teen mom, 14, charged in death of newborn boy

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The girl, whose name was not released because of her age, faces a juvenile delinquency offense equivalent to murder in the adult justice system for causing the death of the infant.

A 14-year-old mother was charged in connection with the death of her newborn boy after the infant was found outside a Highland Park home Monday.

The girl, whose name was not released because of her age, faces a juvenile delinquency offense equivalent to murder in the adult justice system for causing the death of the infant, Middlesex County Prosecutor Andrew Carey said in a statement.

The Highland Park teen was being held at the county juvenile detention center ahead of a family court hearing Tuesday, according to the prosecutor.

Officials released few details about the investigation and said an autopsy was planned to determine the cause of the death.

Police made the grim discovery outside a Lincoln Avenue home Monday afternoon. Emergency crews rushed the infant to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, where he died.

It was not immediately clear how long the infant had been outside the home before the baby was discovered, or when the girl gave birth.

Authorities asked anyone with information to call borough police Detective Sean McGraw at 732-572-3800 or prosecutor's Detective Erik Larsen 732-745-3263.

This is the second incident where a baby was found abandoned in the last two days. On Sunday, a baby was found stuffed in a duffel bag in Trenton.

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

 

N.J.-based Johnson & Johnson beats Q1 estimates with $20B in revenue

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The New Brunswick company earned net income of $4.37 billion, or $1.60 per share, down from $4.42 billion, or $1.61 per share, in 2017's first quarter

Much-higher spending and one-time charges offset a 12.6 percent jump in health care giant Johnson & Johnson's first-quarter revenue, trimming its profit by 1.2 percent, but the results still beat Wall Street expectations.

The maker of baby products, medical devices and blockbuster immune disorder drug Remicade on Tuesday reported revenue of $20.01 billion, topping analyst projections for $19.48 billion. Sales across J&J's three business segments all posted healthy gains.

The New Brunswick company earned net income of $4.37 billion, or $1.60 per share, down from $4.42 billion, or $1.61 per share, in 2017's first quarter.

Excluding $1 billion in write-downs on the value of assets and $300 million in other one-time charges, adjusted income came to $5.64 billion, or $2.06, a nickel better than expected.

"Our pharmaceutical business continues to deliver robust growth and we are pleased with the improvement in our consumer business," Johnson & Johnson Chairman and Chief Executive Alex Gorsky said in a statement.

"The U.S. tax legislation passed late last year is creating the opportunity for us to invest more than $30 billion in (research and development) and capital investments in the U.S. over the next four years," an increase of 15 percent, Gorsky added.

In the first quarter, J&J increased spending on research and development by 16 percent, while spending on production jumped 22 percent and spending on marketing and administration rose nearly 11 percent.

Marketing and production costs were higher partly because of the launch of its new severe psoriasis drug, Tremfya, approved last summer. The company also had another medicine, Erleada for prostate cancer, approved on Feb. 14.

The world's biggest maker of health care products said overseas sales jumped 20 percent, buoyed by favorable currency exchange rates.

"They did just OK on an operating basis when you strip out growth bought via acquisitions," said Erik Gordon, a professor and pharmaceuticals analyst at University of Michigan's Ross School of Business, adding, "The good news is that some of their newer products with patent life left in them are selling well."

Sales of prescription drugs soared 19.4 percent to $9.84 billion. Top seller Remicade, for rheumatoid arthritis, ulcerative colitis and other immune disorders, saw sales fall 17 percent to $1.39 billion, hurt by recent competition in the U.S. But J&J's other drugs for immune disorders, Simponi and Stelara, compensated with sales jumps of more than 20 percent each, to a combined $1.58 billion.

Revenue from oncology drugs, including Darzalex, Imbruvica and Zytiga, rose by a combined 45 percent, to $2.31 billion. Sales from J&J's new business in pulmonary hypertension, or high blood pressure in the lungs, brought in $585 million in the quarter.

Sales of consumer products including baby items and nonprescription medicines rose 5.3 percent to $3.4 billion, led by a 10.5 percent jump in beauty products, which brought in nearly $1.1 billion.

Sales of medical devices such as contact lenses, artificial joints and surgical devices climbed 7.5 percent to nearly $6.8 billion.

Johnson & Johnson forecast full-year earnings in the range of $8 to $8.20 per share, with revenue in the range of $81 billion to $81.8 billion. Analysts are expecting $81.2 billion in sales and earnings per share of $8.10, on average.

In premarket trading, shares rose 76 cents to $132.60.

Bertucci's the latest restaurant chain to declare bankruptcy

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The Massachusetts-based brick over pizzeria has 5 New Jersey locations

Another struggling fast-casual restaurant chain has filed for bankruptcy. 

Massachusetts-based Bertucci's plans to sell its assets to Right Lane Dough Acquisitions, which plans to keep most of its locations open, it said in a statement Monday.

Known for its brick-oven pizzas and other Italian dishes, Bertucci is about $119 million in debt, according to a federal court filing in Delaware. The company employs 4,200 workers, about three-quarters of whom are part-time.

Bertucci's has New Jersey locations in Hazlet, the Sicklerville section of Gloucester Township, the Marlton section of Evehsam, Mount Laurel and Woodbridge. Bertucci's operates restaurants in 11 states along the East Coast.

The 34 most popular restaurant chains in New Jersey, from least to most popular

"With the rise in popularity of quick-casual restaurants and oversaturation of the restaurant industry as a whole, Bertucci's -- and the casual family dining sector in general -- has been affected by a prolonged negative operating trend in an ever increasing competitive price environment," according to court papers filed by the company. "Consumers have more options than ever for spending discretionary income, and their preferences continue to shift towards cheaper, faster alternatives."

Levine Leichtman Capital Properties owns Bertucci's.

Romano's Macaroni Grill and Logan's Roadhouse have also filed for bankruptcy in recent years.

A Bertucci's spokesman didn't immediately return a phone call and an email from NJ Advance Media asking bout the fate of the chain's five restaurants in New Jersey.

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

 

The hits keep coming: Nearly 40 active softball players exceed 100 career hits

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Check out which players have reached the century mark in their careers.

100hits002.JPGKorie Hague, Vineland, April 6 
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