McLaughlin became the youngest U.S. track and field Olympian since 1972 this past summer

Sydney McLaughlin of Union Catholic High School, who became the youngest U.S. track and field Olympians in 44 years this past summer, announced her eagerly anticipated college plans on Monday night.

She has chosen to attend............the University of Kentucky.

McLaughlin, whose only other visit was to the University of Southern California, is one of the greatest high school track and field athletes in U.S. history, and one of the most sought after high school recruits in the nation in recent years.

One big reason why McLaughlin chose the Wildcats is because of the presence of world record holder Kendra Harrison. Harrison, who broke the world record in the 100 hurdles this past summer, is a 2015 graduate of Kentucky and a current member of its coaching staff.

RELATED:  13 THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT SYDNEY MCLAUGHLIN

This past summer, McLaughlin became the youngest U.S. track and field Olympian since 1972 when she placed third at the U.S. Trials last month in the 400-meter hurdles in a World Junior record time of 54.15. At the Rio Olympics, McLaughlin, just eight days after celebrating her 17th birthday, finished fifth in her heat of the 400 hurdles and advanced to the semifinal round as a qualifier on time. She was also fifth in the semifinals, but failed to advance to the final.    

On her Road to Rio, McLaughlin first shattered the national high school and the American Junior record (under 20 years old ) in the 400 hurdles by winning that race for the third straight year in 54.64 at the New Balance Nationals in June in North Carolina. That was the 5th fastest time in the world at the time for the season. Also at the NBN meet, McLaughlin split 50.93 for 400 on the national record breaking Swedish Relay that ran 2:07.99.  

McLaughlin, who smashed the national indoor record in the 400 by running 51.84 at the New Balance Indoor Nationals in N.Y., followed up her NBN performance by winning the women's 400 hurdles in 54.54 at the U.S. Junior National Track and Field Championships at in Clovis, Calif. to qualify her for the U.S. team that competed at the World Junior Championships in Bydgoszcz, Poland. McLaughlin skipped World Juniors to focus on the Rio Olympics.

MORE: A season-by-season look at all of McLaughlin's accomplishments

Before the Olympic Trials, McLaughlin treated the fans in New Jersey to arguably the greatest triple in state history at the NJSIAA Meet of Champions on June 6 at Central Regional High School. On that day, McLaughlin broke her own state record and the meet record by winning the 400 51.87, ran a meet record 56.23 to win the 400 hurdles for the 3rd straight year, and split 54.5 as the anchor on the winning 4x400.

For all of her remarkable accomplishments, McLaughlin, who lives in Dunellen, was named the 2016 Gatorade National Female High School Athlete of the Year.

McLaughlin's exploits sent the entire Union Catholic and N.J. track and field communities into a frenzy this past summer. Union Catholic hosted watch parties for McLaughlin's Olympic Trials race (seen in the video below), and for her two races in Rio.     

David Yearby, 27, died in the Middlesex County jail in 2014 after being in a restraining chair for 9 hours, according to court documents Watch video

David Yearby, who died in the Middlesex Conty jail in North Brunswick in 2014. A judge has reinstated a civil suit against the county, the Piscataway police who arrested yearby, and nurses and others at the jail. (Yearby family photo)

NEW BRUNSWICK -- In November 2014, 27-year-old David Yearby, suffering from a broken neck, died while being held at the Middlesex County jail. Yearby spent the last nine hours of his life restrained in a chair at the jail, according to court documents.

Yearby's mother, Veronica Yearby, sued Middlesex County and Piscataway police who first arrested Yearby, but disagreements erupted between the family and their lawyer, and the entire suit was nearly thrown out by the court.

Last month a new team of lawyers convinced a judge to reinstate the complaints against the county, Piscataway police, corrections officers and nurses at jail.

In addition, Superior Court Judge Vincent LeBlon found that records kept by the nurses at the jail appeared to have been changed.

This week, Veronica Yearby's new team of lawyers, including Brooke Barnett of Newark and Brian Schiller and Joshua McMahon of Westfield, filed an amended complaint, broadening the claims against the county and police, and including additional officers and health care providers.

"It's mind boggling in this day and age that somebody went through this torture." Barnett said. "Whether is was intentional, whether it was unintentional, how they could have such a disregard for human life," she said.

Barnett said the jail staff apparently did not hear Yearby when he tried to talk while he was restrained, but she wants to have him heard through this case in court.

Yearby's family says he was mental ill. They claim authorities never tried to get him help.

"He was very kind hearted," Tabreeka Yearby, David Yearby's sister said. "It breaks my heart that I just can't pick up the phone to call him." Her brother's death, she said, stunned the family and left many unanswered questions. She felt traumatized when the lawsuit was nearly thrown out.

The Middlesex County Medical Examiner determined Yearby died of a broken neck after suffering blunt force trauma, but there was no determination of the source of the blunt force that caused the injuries, according to the ruling. No criminal charges were filed in the case.

LeBlon, in his Oct. 24 ruling, said that records of when nurses checked Yearby looked as if they has been changed. Records show that at 3:23 a.m. on Nov. 2, 2014, staff at the jail called a "code blue" because Yearby was unresponsive as he sat restrained in the chair.

LeBlon said one nurse reported checking on Yearby at 3:15 a.m., eight minutes before the "code blue."

However, "the times recorded appear to have been written over, and the original time written on that entry appears to be 2:55 a.m."

Earlier this year, LeBlon issued three separate decisions in which he dismissed the claims against the county, Piscataway and the officers and nurses based on motions from lawyers for each of those defendants.

His ruling on Oct. 24 vacated those dismissals, citing the change in attorneys and a gap in communications between Veronica Yearby's first lawyer, Gregg Zeff, and a new team of lawyers, Barnett, Schiller and McMahon.

"Given the significance of the matter at hand, it is in the interests of all parties, and the public as a whole, to see this matter fully and completely litigated," LeBlon.

Piscataway police arrested Yearby on Oct. 31, 2014, charging him with assaulting two officers. That night he was taken to the jail. At 8:20 p.m. Yearby was in an altercation with with a corrections officer and he was restrained with handcuffs and a spit mask put on his face, then placed in a "watch cell," according to the judge's decision.

The next day, an "extraction team" of officers removed Yearby from his cell after he refused to come out.

About 7:25 p.m., he was put in a "restraint" chair, and he was placed under the care of the jail nursing staff. A nurse reported that Yearby was checked every 15 minutes.

At 3:23 a.m. Yearby was found unresponsive.

Messages sent to lawyers for Piscataway, Middlesex County and the nurses seeking a comment were not returned.

A look at soccer players from New Jersey in the NCAA touranament

Students in East Brunswick and North Brunswick present their fall productions.

East Brunswick High School students rehearse a scene from their upcoming production of "The Odyssey."East Brunswick Schools 

EAST BRUNSWICK/NORTH BRUNSWICK -- Live entertainment choices abound this week as two area high schools present fall theater productions.

Students at East Brunswick High School will present their fall drama, "The Odyssey." The play by Mary Zimmerman is a dramatic adaptation of Homer's myth. Performance times are 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday; and, 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 20 in the school's Joseph Sweeney Auditorium, 380 Cranbury Road. Tickets are $14, $7 for students and seniors and are available in advance at ebhs.booktix.com or at the door.

The Alchemist Theatre Company at North Brunswick Township High School will present "Peter and the Starcatcher." The play, based on the novel by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson, tells the story of a poor orphan boy who becomes Peter Pan. Showtimes are 7 p.m. Friday; and, 1 and 7 p.m. Saturday in the North Brunswick Township Performing Arts Center at North Brunswick Township High School, 98 Raider Road. Tickets are $12, $10 for students and seniors and will be available at the door 45 minutes prior to curtain time.

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

In the last of a three-part series on which part of the state is the best, Pete Genovese makes a case for Central Jersey.

These are the players that reached the 1,000-yard milestone in 2016

Al-Najjar, who was hired in 2006 by the Spotswood accuses the district of violating state and federal regulations

SPOTSWOOD -- A former borough special needs teacher has filed suit against the school district alleging he was denied promotions, forced to work in a "hostile, intimidating" work environment and eventually let go after voicing concerns over the placement of students with disabilities. 

Spotswood file photo File 

In the lawsuit, which was first reported by a local government watchdog site, Anwar Al-Najjar accused the school board of violating state and federal regulations when it came to the education of students with special needs.

Al-Najjar was hired in 2006 by the school board for the Child Study Team as a teacher and consultant to determine and deliver proper education services and programs for special-needs students. Al-Najjar says in his suit that in April or May 2014, the district placed a student with disabilities in a "self-contained" classroom, separated from all other district students. 

Al-Najjar said he objected to the placement and suggested to his supervisor that the student be transferred to another district. The parents also made the same request. 

In the suit filed in Middlesex Superior Court in July, Al-Najjar claims his summer hours were reduced from 24 days to 10 in retaliation. In addition, he applied for two district positions that summer and was not hired for either, which he claims was also retaliation.

The following school year, the student's case was assigned to another member of the child study team and the school refused to send the student with special needs out of district, the suit said. 

Two educators assigned to the student in the 2014-2015 school year also objected to the decision to not transfer the student out of district. Both of whom were let go at the end of the school year, according to the lawsuit. 

Al-Najjar objected in writing and claims his summer hours were reduced again to one day from 10 the year prior, the lawsuit said. He also applied for a summer principal position but was not hired, which he claims was because his previous complaints.  

The lawsuit claims the school district became an "intimidating, hostile or abusive" environment for Al-Najjar in fall of 2015, and by April 2016, the district had "abolished" his position, effective at the end of the year. 

InMay, Al-Najjar's office was cleaned out of all work files and personal effects, according to the suit. The next day he was placed on administrative leave and banned from entering school property. 

Al-Najjar seeks front and back pay and benefits, as well as compensation for distress and punitive damages. 

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

A look at 20 big N.J. performances in college football this weekend.

Joseph A. Brown was arrested Friday and faces a second-degree charge of sexual assault

SOUTH RIVER -- A 25-year-old borough man has been charged with sexually assaulting a teenage girl, authorities said Tuesday.

Joseph A. Brown, 25, of South River.Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office 

Joseph A. Brown was arrested Friday and faces a second-degree charge of sexual assault and a third-degree charge of endangering the welfare of a child, Middlesex County Prosecutor Andrew C. Carey said in a release.

Brown is accused of having sex with a 14-year-old girl on Thursday in South River, according to the release.

The investigation started after the girl's family contacted local police, Carey said.

Brown's bail was set at $100,000, according to the release. 

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

Rutgers President Robert Barchi assured students that they don't need worry about their safety at Rutgers.

NEW BRUNSWICK -- After a nationwide call by college students to protect unauthorized immigrants from possible deportation under President-elect Donald Trump, Rutgers University has pledged to do everything in its legal power to keep its students safe. 

The university police department does not check student's immigration status unless a serious crime has been committed, and Rutgers will not share private information about its students unless required to do so by a court order, President Robert Barchi said in a message to students. 

"No matter your political view, ethnicity, religious beliefs, race, gender identity, sexual orientation, or nationality, you are first and foremost a Rutgers student," Barchi said. "You are owed our respect, our support, and our best efforts to keep you safe and secure as you express your opinions and pursue your studies." 

20 famous people who attended Rutgers

The message comes as activists and student groups from at least 80 colleges and universities across the country are planning student walkouts or protests Wednesday to demand protection and respect for unauthorized immigrant students if Trump  follows through with deportation plans after he takes office.

In New Jersey, students at Rutgers, Seton Hall, Princeton, William Paterson, Bloomfield College, St. Peter's University and Bergen County Community College are among those who have said they will hold walkouts or protests, according to posts on social media. 

Rutgers students are also circulating a petition calling on the state university to become a "sanctuary campus."

On a sanctuary campus, the administration, faculty, and staff establish a welcome climate for minority students, Muslims, LGBTQ students, and women, the petition stated.

"Campus police and managers of data also should refuse to cooperate with federal agents wishing to deport undocumented students," the petition said.

Since Trump won the presidential election last week, college campuses have become a hotbed for fear and unrest. Students protested at both Rutgers and Princeton last week, with some saying they were scared for their safety. 

Early in the campaign, Trump said he wanted to deport all of the more than 11 million unauthorized immigrants in the country. More recently, he said his focus will be deporting "the people that are criminal and have criminal records -- gang members, drug dealers." 

Without specifically addressing Trump's proposals, Barchi assured students that they don't need worry about their safety or privacy at Rutgers. He also encouraged students to continue civil discussions and embrace the university's political diversity. 

"Our university is and must be a safe place for all people to live and learn, where students and others of all viewpoints may express their ideas with the full expectations that they will be heard and respected," Barchi said. 

Under New Jersey law signed by Gov. Chris Christie in 2013, immigrants living in the country illegally can attend state colleges at the same in-state tuition rate as other New Jersey residents.

Unauthorized immigrants, dubbed DREAMers, previously paid out-of-state tuition, which was often double the in-state rate.

Students must sign an affidavit saying they have either applied to legalize their immigration status or will apply when eligible, according to state law. 

NJ Advance Media Reporter Kelly Heyboer contributed to this report. 

Adam Clark may be reached at adam_clark@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on twitter at @realAdamClark. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

William "Billy" McCaw's body was found behind a New Brunswick home in Feb. 2014 brutally beaten to death, authorities said. Timothy Puskas stands accused of murder in the death of McCaw, 22.

NEW BRUNSWICK -- Lawyers Tuesday afternoon presented two accounts of how authorities homed in on a man they say brutally beat to death a 22-year-old Kean University student in 2014.

Middlesex County Prosecutor Bina Desai, in her opening statements, told jurors the story of how a night of partying on Feb. 14, 2014, for William "Billy" McCaw, a "well-liked" college student, ended with him being left to die in the snow behind a New Brunswick house.

William "Billy" McCaw. (File photo) 

McCaw was walking to a friend's home alone from a frat party near the Rutgers' New Brunswick campus, where he attended college for a few years before transferring to Kean, when he encountered Timothy Puskas, Desai said. She said Puskas, whose life had been unraveling, beat McCaw to death with a weapon.

Puskas, 40, of New Brunswick, was charged with murder, weapons offenses and two counts of hindering.

"Billy did nothing to deserve that," Desai said of his death. "Billy was in the wrong place at the wrong time."

But Puskas' attorney, Joseph Mazraani, emphasized to jurors multiple times that there is no physical evidence that ties Puskas to McCaw's death.

"There's no motive for him to do any of this," Mazraani said in his opening statements. "He doesn't even know the young man."

At the time of McCaw's death, Puskas was living with a bunch of "thieves and criminals," Mazraani said, at a house on Plum Street, about 900 feet from where McCaw's body was found behind a home on Hartwell Street.

Puskas' roommates had been arrested for a string of burglaries in Middlesex and Union counties, Mazraani said, and also stole thousands of dollars from him. He said evidence suggests these roommates became aware that Puskas was onto them, and so when detectives came to the home, they turned on him.

"It's game on, it's let me save my skin time," Mazraani said of the roommates' motive to have Puskas arrested. "Let me take what I think I know and see how I can get out of my own mess. That's what a rat fink does. That's what a snitch does. There's no honor in that. They'll lie, they're thieves. And that's what they did here, which put that man in that chair."

Desai, the prosecutor, told jurors that Puskas' roommates stealing from him was a tipping point that led him to walk the streets of New Brunswick in rage.

In the years before McCaw's death, Puska's life started to "fall apart around him," she said. He lost his wife and his job, and also found out his mom was terminally ill.

"Things one by one started to unravel," Desai said.

So when he discovered his roommates had betrayed his trust, she said, "that made (Puskas) angry."

"He set out and when drunk, defenseless Billy came towards him, he knew he had his mark," Desai said.

Desai said detectives had interviewed Puskas during their investigation and determined he wasn't a suspect. However, he gave varying accounts of where he was around the time of McCaw's death that didn't make sense, Desai said. In the days following McCaw's death, she said, Puskas searched for news stories about him and stared "blankly and coldly" at flyers posted around town seeking information about McCaw's death.  

"Those actions, ladies and gentlemen, speak louder than any words," she said.

But Mazraani told jurors those are the actions of a man who wanted to find out more information about a murder that occurred near his home. He also pointed to the fact that detectives never found a weapon and omitted information in reports when it wasn't favorable to their investigation.

For example, Mazraani said, a K-9 dog from the Somerset County Sheriff's Department sniffed out footprints leading to a home on Robinson Street. But that bit of information was glossed over and left out of reports, he said.

"Tim Puskas was innocent on Feb. 15, he was innocent when he walked into this courtroom and he's innocent as he sits there," Mazraani said, pointing to his client in the courtroom.

Puskas, who wore a blue and white checkered dress shirt under a gray sweater, sat expressionless as Mazraani addressed the jurors.

McCaw's family and friends filled two rows in the courtroom. They declined to speak with reporters after the proceeding. 

The trial started after a lengthy jury selection, and the first witness is scheduled to appear on Wednesday.

In an unrelated case, Puskas was charged with fatally hitting a bicyclist on his way to North Brunswick on Jan. 25, 2012. He pleaded guilty to second-degree vehicular homicide in September 2015 and received a seven-year prison sentence.

McCaw grew up in Hillsborough before moving to Gallatin, Tenn., with his family in his junior year of high school. He spent three years at Rutgers before transferring to Kean in Union Township. 

Graham Lewis, a friend of McCaw, told NJ Advance Media after McCaw's death that he was "the kindest and nicest person in the world."

"He would never hurt a soul and was always smiling," Lewis said. "He loved Rutgers more than he loved his own friends sometimes."

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

A 19-year-old South Brunswick man was arrested five times in 12 days this month.

SOUTH BRUNSWICK -- A 19-year-old township man was arrested five times in 12 days this month on multiple charges including attempted assault by auto, driving under the influence and drug possession, police said.

Sai Ramagiri, 19, of South Brunswick(Courtesy of the South Brunswick Police Department)

Sai Ramagiri was initially arrested on Nov. 4 by the Plainsboro Police Department for allegedly attempting to run over a friend with his vehicle while under the influence of marijuana, police said.

At around 6 a.m., he got into an argument with a friend on Parker Road and then tried to run him over with his Jeep Wrangler. When police arrived, they found open alcohol containers in the vehicle as well as marijuana. He was arrested and charged with DWI and later released.

He was then arrested at around 1:30 p.m. on Nov. 8 after police found Ramagiri "leaned over vomiting" near a Jeep on Monet Court with a shredded rear tire, police said.

Officers recovered marijuana and drug paraphernalia from the vehicle and charged Ramagiri with DWI, drug possession and several motor vehicle summonses, police said. He was later released.

Two days later, Monmouth Junction firefighters found the teen with a white Porsche against a guardrail on Ridge Road, police said. Ramagiri, who was standing outside the vehicle, told officials the vehicle ran out of gas, police said.

An officer found a marijuana cigarette sticking out the Ramagiri front jeans pocket and he was arrested and charged with drug possession and DWI. He was processed and later released on a summons.

The next arrest came as Ramagiri was driving the 2016 Porche on Ridge Road and the South Brunswick officer who arrested him five days earlier saw him behind the wheel, police said.

The officer stopped Ramagiri and found marijuana in the car, police said. He was charged with drug possession and motor vehicle summonses, police said.

Ramagiri was then arrested on Tuesday at around 2 a.m. by the Plainsboro Police Department after police stopped him in his Porsche for failing to maintain lanes while driving on Plainsboro Road. He was charged with DWI, having open alcohol containers in the vehicle and several motor vehicle summonses, according to police.

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

The 45th NJSIAA Meet of Champions will be held on Saturday, Nov. 19

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The march, dubbed "Sanctuary Campus," was sparked by Trump's campaign pledge to deport 11 million unauthorized immigrants

NEW BRUNSWICK -- More than a thousand Rutgers students and staff took to the streets Wednesday to protest president-elect Donald Trump's election.

"I'm not afraid!" yelled Jose Serrano, a 20-year-old junior at Rutgers, who revealed to the large crowd over a megaphone that he was an unauthorized immigrant.

The march, dubbed "Sanctuary Campus," was sparked by Trump's campaign pledge to deport 11 million unauthorized immigrants -- a campaign promise he partly walked back Sunday on 60 Minutes, saying his deportation would focus on 2 to 3 million criminals here illegally. 

The massive afternoon demonstration canceled some classes at the university and closed streets after it started around 3 p.m. on campus near College Avenue, proceeded down George Street and ultimately ended almost two miles later on the Douglass campus. 

"We're fighting for permanent protection, dignity and respect," said Alex Uematsu, a Rutgers senior and the lead organizer of the march.

Carlos Decena, associate professor and chair of Latino Studies at Rutgers, also spoke to the crowd, saying the protest was a good start but that the fight needed to continue. He also called on students to listen more and to not immediately discredit opposing viewpoints.

"No more censoring views contrary to your's," he yelled into the megaphone. "We need to find ways to disagree, to vigorously engage, without holding our nose up and being obnoxious."

The chanting protesters were escorted by police vehicles. University officials did not immediately respond for comment.

Rutgers President Robert Barchi issued a statement Tuesday saying the university celebrates its "diverse racial, ethnic, and economic profile, and we embrace our political diversity."

There was also a small group of half-a-dozen Trump supporters, wearing red "Make America great again" hats, and holding a blue Trump banner amidst the anti-Trump demonstration. 

"I wanted to make our presence known that we are no longer the minority," said Brandon Riso, 18, a freshman at Rutgers and Trump supporter who was debating students when the crowd initially gathered. "We're the majority -- and we're no longer going to be treated like second-class citizens."

The group walked with the banner side by side the crowd nearly the entire march, which went all the way to the Douglass campus.

Rutgers protester, "No Trump! No KKK, no racist USA! pic.twitter.com/PUi7pky0SV

-- Spencer Kent (@spencermkent) November 16, 2016

Hundreds gather for Rutgers Trump protest entitled, #sanctuarycampus @njdotcom @RutgersU pic.twitter.com/jLGfpcvdWV

-- Spencer Kent (@spencermkent) November 16, 2016

Rutgers students beginning walkout in protest of Donald Trump, stay tuned for live updates @njdotcom @RutgersU pic.twitter.com/MxiBTQeiuB

-- Spencer Kent (@spencermkent) November 16, 2016

NJ Advance reporter contributed to this article.

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

A school bus driver from Avenel was died following a collision with a sport-utility vehicle in Colts Neck on Tuesday.

COLTS NECK - A 62-year-old Avenel woman was the school bus driver who died after a collision with a sport-utility vehicle in the township on Tuesday afternoon, the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office announced Wednesday.

Lorraine Filozof, 62, of Avenel, was driving a school bus for Helfrich & Sons of Keansburg on Phalanx Road shortly before 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday when the bus collided head-on with a 2004 Dodge Duragno, prosecutor's office spokesman Charles Webster said via email.

The crash was still under investigation as of Wednesday afternoon, but Webster said it appears the 16-passenger bus was properly within the westbound lane of travel when it was struck by the Durango.

Filozof and two passengers - a 61-year-old male school bus aide from Hazlet and a juvenile student from Manalapan - were on the bus at the time of the crash, Webster said.

The school bus burst into flames following the collision.

All three occupants of the bus and the 77-year-old Colts Neck man who was driving the Durango were transported to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune for treatment of undisclosed injuries.

Filozof later died at the hospital, Webster said.

The school bus aide and student were treated for non-life-threatening injuries and later released, while the driver of the Durango - whose name was not released - was held overnight for observation, Webster said,

The Monmouth County Serious Collision Analysis Response Team is conducting the investigation, with assistance from the Colts Neck and Middletown police departments.

The Colts Neck and Middletown first aid squads and MONOC paramedics also provided medical assistance at the scene.

Hospitals relegated to tier 2 have sued Horizon to be admitted to OMNIA's top tier in fear of losing money.

TRENTON -- Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey has agreed to admit three more hospitals to the top tier of its popular, lower-cost OMNIA health insurance plans -- a designation other hospitals have sued to acquire to get an edge in the state's cut-throat health care marketplace.

The new "tier 1" hospitals - Raritan Bay Medical Center in Old Bridge and Perth Amboy and HackensackUMC Palisades - are owned by Hackensack Meridian Health. The decision announced by Horizon and hospital officials Wednesday means all 11 acute care hospitals in the chain will be part of the top tier in 2017, according to the announcement.

OMNIA Health Plan premiums cost about 15 percent lower than other Horizon insurance products, and OMNIA policy holders who use tier 1 hospitals and medical providers pay lower out-of-pocket costs. 

Horizon is the state's largest insurance company, serving 3.8 million of its nearly 9 million residents. There were 280,000 people enrolled in OMNIA plans in 2016, its inaugural year, surpassing the company's first-year estimate of 250,000, Horizon announced Wednesday.

"Horizon continues to listen to consumers and we're responding to their call for more affordable choices and better quality plans," said Tom Wilson, Horizon's director of Public Affairs.  

Horizon selected only about half of New Jersey's hospitals to be included in tier 1, a strategy which required the hospitals accept deep discounts to their reimbursement rates in exchange for an anticipated flood of new consumers.

From the moment Horizon unveiled the OMNIA products in September 2015, hospitals who were allowed to remain the OMNIA network but as tier 2 facilities cried foul, saying the designation hurt their reputations. They also said the competition would drive them to close or merge with other hospitals to stay alive.

A group of hospitals sued the Christie administration to overturn its insurance department's approval of the OMNIA plans and lost. St. Peter's University Hospital in New Brunswick and a group of seven hospitals -- now down to three -- also sued separately accusing the Horizon of breaching its contract with them by not inviting them to join OMNIA's top tier. 

Horizon then sued tier 2 hospitals Valley Hospital in Ridgewood and Holy Name Medical Center in Teaneck for an advertising campaign that implies OMNIA coverage is somehow deficient or dangerous.

N.J. hospitals lose court challenge to controversial Horizon OMNIA plan

"Providing our communities with patient-centered, affordable, quality care has always been the goal of Hackensack Meridian Health," Patrick Young, president of Population Health for Hackensack Meridian Health said in a statement. "By broadening our collaboration with Horizon, we're able to further advance our mission of delivering integrated care while providing affordable access to more OMNIA health plan members."

Both the Raritan Bay medical centers and the former Palisades Medical Center are recent acquisitions by Meridian and Hackensack, respectively. Then in June, Meridian and Hackensack merged, creating the second-largest hospital system from Bergen County to the Jersey shore.

"Horizon and Hackensack Meridian Health share a commitment to working collaboratively to transform the delivery of health care to lower costs, improve quality outcomes, and enhance the patient experience," said Allen Karp, Horizon's senior vice president for Healthcare Management.

In keeping with the buying frenzy, Hackensack Meridian officials announced last week they would also acquire JFK Medical Center in Edison. It was not immediately clear if or when JFK would be added to the tier 1 network. Both sides are still working out the details of what they are calling an "affiliation" which then it must be approved by the state.

Hackensack Meridian Health general acute care hospitals are HackensackUMC in Hackensack; Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune; Ocean Medical Center in Brick; Riverview Medical Center in Red Bank; HackensackUMC Mountainside in Montclair; HackensackUMC Palisades in North Bergen; Raritan Bay Medical Center in Perth Amboy and Old Bridge; Southern Ocean Medical Center in Manahawkin; Bayshore Community Hospital in Holmdel; HackensackUMC at Pascack Valley in Westwood.

Susan K. Livio may be reached at slivio@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @SusanKLivio. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.

One patient has been discharged following the on-campus stabbing at Rutgers University earlier this month.

PISCATAWAY -- One patient has been discharged following the on-campus stabbing at Rutgers University earlier this month, a hospital official said.

A Rutgers University student and a faculty member were critically wounded when a former student stabbed them in an office at the business school during afternoon classes on Nov. 4, officials said. All three were taken to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick. 

Hospital spokesman Peter Haigney said on Thursday, the two remaining patients were in "fair condition." Due to patient privacy laws, however, it remains unclear which patient was released and which patients remain hospitalized.

The suspect, 25-year-old Joshua S. Thompson, of Mountainside, was seriously injured from what authorities say were self-inflicted wounds.

The student and faculty member were wounded after Thompson allegedly stabbed them in an office at the business school during afternoon classes, officials said.

As of Wednesday, no court hearing had been scheduled for Thompson, according to the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office.

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

Emily LaMonica, now a freshman at Ramapo College, made two very risky bets on 'Jeopardy' Thursday night

Sayreville's Emily LaMonica, a 2016 graduate of the Marine Academy of Science & Technology in Highlands, risked it all -- twice -- on the "Jeopardy!" Teen Tournament semifinals Thursday night, but it didn't pay off in the end.

Though LaMonica, now a freshman at Ramapo College of New Jersey,  dominated her quarterfinal round last week, winning $23,201, she trailed competitor Alec Fischthal of North Woodmere, N.Y., throughout the Jeopardy round. She finished the first round with $5,200 compared to Fischthal's $11,200. (The third competitor, Connor Pierce from Dallas, had $1,000.)

In Double Jeopardy, she lost $3,000 on a Daily Double and it seemed she wouldn't be able to catch up to Fischtal, but then LaMonica turned over the second Daily Double. With $8,600, exactly half of Fischtal's $17,200, she risked everything and answered correctly, tying the game. Fischthal pulled ahead by $2,000 before the end of the round.

The Final Jeopardy category was Famous Buildings: "Completed in 1943, this 'City Within a City' has outer walls over 900 feet long." All three got it wrong (offer up your answer in the comments below) and LaMonica, who had bet everything again, ended with nothing. Pierce finished with $2,000, and Fischthal won with $3,999. He goes on to compete for the $100,000 grand prize. 

For more information on how to become a contestant (teen, college student or adult) on "Jeopardy" and to take a practice test, go the "Jeopardy" website here. 

Vicki Hyman may be reached at vhyman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @vickihy or like her on Facebook. Find NJ.com/Entertainment on Facebook, and check out Remote Possibilities, the TV podcast from Vicki Hyman and co-host Erin Medley on iTunes, Stitcher or Spreaker, or listen below or here.

Ep. 58: Why are we still watching 'The Affair?'