Instead of making a New Year's resolutions list, get out there and meet new people.

By Al Warr

If you're like me, you gave up long ago making New Year's resolutions. They just never seem to work out past the end of January.

Resolutions amount to good intentions. You make a list and that's pretty much the end of it. But you can put a better face on good intentions.

Instead of making a list, get out there and meet new people. Expose yourself. Get a fresh viewpoint. Skip the list and take resolutions to the next level.

***

Tom Fitzgerald has been moderating a business networking group since 2009. It meets at Clinton's Holiday Inn the first Wednesday of every month, and it comes up next week, Jan. 4, 7:45 to 9 a.m.

"We all know that while the idea of networking is with the people in the room, getting to know their circles of influence is the true power of networking," said Fitzgerald.

This is the Leads Exchange North sponsored by the Hunterdon County Chamber of Commerce. Attendance is free to current and prospective chamber members.

Guest speakers for next week's meeting include attorney Bradford W. Muller and Family Promise's Colleen Duerr. They will be focusing on community leadership and how to become a leader in the community.

Business people network, exchange business cards and present their businesses to the group.

"The morning ends with a round table discussion," added Fitzgerald. It serves as an open discussion for sharing experiences on the subject at hand.

Fitzgerald operates his Fitzgerald Architecture Studio, LLC based in High Bridge. It includes Disaster Restoration Design Services division. For more information, call 908-638-4848 and visit FitzgeraldStudios.com.

    ***

Rob Bell runs Network Lambertville at his video studios. This is a popular networking group that draws business people from Hunterdon, Mercer and Bucks counties.

"In this economic climate, networking should be an integral part of your small business marketing," said Bell. "Our aim is to create a diverse, professional forum for business people to collaborate, create alliances and grow."

The format here is informal and everyone gets time on the microphone. Business people relax in conversations while they enjoy hors d'oeuvres, cheese and wine. The meeting runs from 6 to 8 p.m. on the first Thursday of each month - next is Jan. 5.

Bell operates his Green Birdie Productions, 21 E. Bridge St. Call him at 609-460-4550 or visit GreenBirdieVideo.com. Also find on Meetup.com.

***

Lacy Phelps runs the Frenchtown Coffee Club. It meets the first Friday of each month (next is Jan. 6, 8 to 8:45 a.m.) at the Bridge Cafe, 8 Bridge St., Frenchtown.

Phelps is a local Edward Jones Financial Advisor. Her offices are at 148 Route 31, Suite. 6, Flemington. Call her at 908-782-7554 or go to Facebook.com/LacyCPhelps.

"In today's economic environment, many of our neighbors have similar financial questions and concerns," she said. This session is where you can get some answers.

Interest rates, the bond market, and the stock market are particularly worrisome right now, she explained. Savings and retirement are also high on everyone's list of concerns. These, and more, questions get discussed at her monthly coffee club.

***

Residents and business owners alike will be interested in learning more about Opportunity New Jersey (ONJ) at a breakfast set for Wednesday, Jan. 11, 8 to 9:30 a.m. It will be held in the Atrium at Raritan Valley Community College.

"ONJ was launched earlier this year as a grassroots effort to advance reforms to make New Jersey more affordable and competitive," said Michele N. Siekerka, president and CEO of the New Jersey Business & Industry Association. She co-chairs ONJ with Thomas Bracken, president and CEO of the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce.

The state has lost its competitiveness, Siekerka explained. To compete with New York and Pennsylvania, comprehensive tax reforms are needed - property, income, sales, and corporate business taxes. ONJ is positioned to make policy recommendations in other areas as well, including education, housing costs, the exodus of young people, and other concerns.

"Over $20 billion in net adjusted income left New Jersey over the last decade," she noted. Outmigration of people has had a significant impact on the state's economy.

ONJ has no connection to government or political parties. It will focus on pulling together fact-based data to support long range and overall impacts of policies designed to enhance economic activity in all areas.

This includes taking a hard look at some current proposals that can have serious, and deleterious, consequences on the future economy in the state. Examples outlined on the website are "mandatory paid sick leave, unilateral minimum wage increases, and a constitutional amendment requiring the state to make pension payments." See OpportunityNJ.org.

Siekerka and Bracken will be discussing New Jersey's affordability and competitiveness at the Jan. 11 breakfast meeting. It is $25 to attend.

This event is hosted by the Hunterdon County Chamber of Commerce and the Somerset County Business Partnership. You must register by calling 908-782-7115. Membership in both the chamber and partnership is another good way to network and meet other Central Jersey business owners.

Al Warr can be reached at 610-253-0432 or AlWarr16@gmail.com.

This week's questions are based on NJ.com's top local news stories of the year gone by.

The year 2016 is nearly gone, a fact that spells relief for many of us worn down by the news of the year. There were a lot of memorable New Jersey stories of 2016 on NJ.com, some uplifting, others disheartening. How well do you recall them all?

This week's Local News Quiz got its inspiration from the most-viewed New Jersey news stories of 2016 on NJ.com. The seven questions below are ordered by popularity: The story with the most page views in this group is listed first. Take the quiz and see if you can finish out 2016 with a high score.

From all of us at NJ.com, we wish you the best for 2017.

John Shabe can be reached via jshabe@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter, and find NJ.com on Facebook.

Most of the state will be dry, cool, and windy

The penultimate day of 2016 could be a bit tricky in parts of New Jersey.

While forecasters are calling for party sunny skies and temperatures in the upper 30s and low 40s in much of the state, it might be a different story in northwestern counties.

New Year's Eve weather forecast

In 10 northern New Jersey counties -- Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Hunterdon, Morris, Passaic, Somerset, Sussex, Union and Warren -- there could be localized snow squalls from mid-afternoon through early evening (mainly 3 p.m. to 9 p.m.) which could impact travel along the Interstate 78 and Interstate 80 corridors.

The National Weather Service says roads could quickly become snow covered and slippery. Up to two inches of snow is possible in spots that receive the heaviest snow bands.

Even if the snow doesn't develop, it will be windy throughout the state. 

A couple walks along a path dusted with snow at Hedden Park in Randolph after a swift moving squall hit the area in this Star-Ledger file photo. (Robert Sciarrino| The Star-Ledger) 

Winds of 15-25 mph with gusts to 35 mph are likely beginning late this morning, according to the morning forecast discussion. 

Forecasters also warn black ice could be an issue this morning on roads and walkways. Most of the state is in the low to mid 30s as of just before 7 a.m. 

Winds will diminish this evening as temperatures drop into the 20s. There will still be a slight threat of snow showers in northwestern spots. 

The New Year's Eve forecast is shaping up as mostly dry with temps in ranging from the mid 30s to the low 40s. A shower is possible at night.

South Jersey had some mixed precipitation Thursday night -- a mix of snow, sleet and rain.

Wintry mix of snow, sleet, and rain laying on the roads here in EHT. Temperature at 37 degrees. Heavy enough precip to overcome temps. pic.twitter.com/auUDPTol5c

-- Dan Skeldon (@ACPressSkeldon) December 30, 2016

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

The following deeds have been recorded in the Hunterdon County Hall of Records in Book 2393 through Dec. 30, 2016: Bethlehem Township Lori A. Pinder to Emmett Higgins and Teresa Higgins, property at 528 Charlestown Road, for $360,000. Stephen J. Potter and Lisa M. Pierro to Alland Sy and Liberty Torres-Sy, property at 10 Wyckoff Road, for $625,000. Califon...

The following deeds have been recorded in the Hunterdon County Hall of Records in Book 2393 through Dec. 30, 2016:

Bethlehem Township

Lori A. Pinder to Emmett Higgins and Teresa Higgins, property at 528 Charlestown Road, for $360,000.

Stephen J. Potter and Lisa M. Pierro to Alland Sy and Liberty Torres-Sy, property at 10 Wyckoff Road, for $625,000.

Califon

David Beik and Patrice Beik to Robert Brown and Jessica Brown, property at 13 First St., for $185,000.

Clinton

Umashankar Sathyanarayana and Roopashri Simha Melkote to Patrick A. Miller, property at 7 Cypress Ct., for $305,000.

Clinton Township

Edelmar Patury and Marcia Patury to Robert Miller and Danuta Miller, property at 18 Troon Terr., for $180,000.

Bryan Boyce and Christine Boyce to Carol Ciarletta, property at 198 Stanton Mountain Road, for $387,000.

Patrick J. Sinko and Noreen M. Sinko to Michael Joseph DeTore and Ashley Lynn DeTore, property at 15 West St., for $390,000.

East Amwell

Craig W. Pillon, administrator of the estate of Nancy S. Pillon, to Vincent Rosa and Julia Rosa, property at 240 Mountain Road, for $450,000.

Walter Edward Zeltner to Jonathan M. Zorella and Caitlin R. Mackiw, property at 204 Mountain Road, for $299,900.

Flemington

Tara Lynn Portela to Joseph Veglatte, property at 3 Youngs Drive, for $290,000.

Vincent Marino and Michael Rampel to Delphine M. Marini, property at 22 Coppermine Village, for $223,000.

Muirwoods Realty to Gerald Innella and Elizabeth Innella, property at 18 Maple Ave., for $289,500.

Franklin Township

David J. Moser and Nicole Moser to Frederick T. Backer, Jr. and Susan M. Backer, property at 4 Hunting Hills Way, for $440,000.

Liza Wojcik to Gerald Innella and Elizabeth Innella, property at 304 Quakertown Road, for $359,900.

Glen Gardner

Kevin D. Strait and Kristiann J. Strait to Jarad DeLorenzo and Carrie Vitale, property at 18 Edgewood Way, for $400,000.

Hampton

Shi-Horng Lin to Roberta Alves, property at 151 Route 31 South, for $233,000.

High Bridge

Martin Whitehead to David A. Kuhlken, Jr., property at 5 Village Square, for $82,000.

Andrew C. Galinsky and Norma I. Galinsky, to Christian L. Eriksen and Shannon Eriksen, property at 10 Thomas St., for $292,000.

Lambertville

David Soltero to Andrew G. Herrick and Elizabeth Herrick, property at 68 Elm St., for $355,000.

Joseph Scott and Kristina Babbitt to Justin Warias and Emily Warias, property at 77 York St., for $500,000.

Lebanon Township

Joelle DeFreitas to Christopher Scott Macri, property at 10 Elk Ridge Road, for $500,000.

James S. Trudel and Ann Trudel to Matthew Manenty, property at 252 Musconetcong River Road, for $361,000.

Milford

Marjorie F. Dinmore to Edward Yard, property at 21 Stover Ave., for $145,000.

Raritan Township

Christopher Nuechterlein and Jennier Nuechterlein to Debra A. Pirozzoli and James Pirozzoli, property at 43 Cherryville-Stanton Road, for $438,650.

Michael A. Reid and Dawna Reid to Lawrence Chatman and Sara Chatman, property at 32 Surrey Lane, for $380,000.

Michael A. DePalma and Robin J. DePalma to Rajpreet Saran, property at 34 Leffler Hill Road, for $432,000.

Eric Dean, executor of the estate of Theodore Deptulski, to James Demetriou and Christine Demetriou, property at 74 Samson Dr., for $319,500.

Raritan Valley Developers, Inc., to Larry Ingram and Frances Ingram, property at 4 Phillps Ct., for $380,347.

The Cerenzo Credit Shelter Trust and Jacqueline Crenzo to Judith Heffron, property at 9 Dvoor Blvd., for $479,900.

Charles Schwab Bank, NA, by Quicken Loans, Inc., to Aline M. DeOliveira, property at 53 Madison Ave., for $400,000.

Readington Township

Sam J. Guynes and May D. Guynes to Jason Ciavarro and Kristen Ciavarro, property at 48 Holland Brook Road, for $855,000.

Jane C. Kreyling and James D. Kreyling to Patricia A. O'Malley, property at 1180 Barley Sheaf Road, for $790,000.

Anthony LaMassa and Tanya LaMassa to Brian J. Stehn and Jennifer M. Bretz-Sullivan, property at 121 Robin Way, for $427,500.

Judy Diane Reed, trustee of the Edward Mark Johnson Revocable Trust, Edward Mark Johnson and Raymond Johnson, heirs of Dorothy E. Johnson, deceased, to LFP Holdings Limited Liability Co., property at 1014 Old York Road, for $180,000.

Tewksbury

Glenn Regenye and Deborah Regenye to Staci Gouveia, property at 14 Apple Lane, for $905,000.

President-Elect Donald J. Trump finds plenty of time to fire off tweets against his perceived enemies, but has not yet weighed in on the growth of hate speech since his election in November.

Donald J. Trump has kept oddly silent as the level of hate escalates dangerously in the county he is about to govern.

The president-elect finds plenty of time to fire off tweets against his perceived enemies - union leaders, multinational companies, the editors of Vanity Fair and the actors in the Broadway hit Hamilton. But the vileness daily passing for social discourse remains off his radar screen.

The Southern Poverty Law Center reported 1,094 hate-related incidents in the month after Trump won the Electoral College vote, the majority aimed at immigrants, African-Americans and members of the LGBT community.

The threats of violence and intimidation continue. Most recently came news of a planned Nazi march next month, now apparently up in the air, targeting Jews and those who do business with them in the community of Whitefish, Montana.

At one point rally organizers were prepared to bring 200 supporters into town, armed with rifles and unbridled loathing.

Trump's 11 least 'presidential' tweets | The Auditor

The municipality, population 6,000, is home to Sherry Spencer, mother of Richard Spencer. You'll recognize him as president of the unapologetically white-supremacist National Policy Institute, the folks who executed a Heil Hitler-type salute in Donald Trump's honor after the election.

Although Richard Spencer has since told the local newspaper the rally is now a no-go, by that time a racist and anti-Semitic website called the Daily Stormer had published personal information about the liberals - including addresses and e-mail - prompting an onslaught of venomous mail and Holocaust-related images.

Montana's highest officials, who represent both sides of the aisle, strongly condemned the white nationalist rally.

Did you see Donald Trump's tweet similarly weighing in on the side of sanity and reason? Neither did we.

Another horrifying development involves a relentless, merciless campaign - complete with death threats - against a professor at Orange Coast College in California whose only "crime" was sharing her opinion in class that Trump's election was an act of terror.

A conservative student surreptitiously recorded a portion of her lecture and uploaded it, sending the clip viral. That's when Olga Perez Stable Cox's life veered wildly off course.

"Go out in the middle of the football field, pull out a handgun, put it to your temple and shoot yourself. Or better yet, douse yourself in gasoline and set yourself on fire."

This was about the mildest of the tweets, emails and threatening phone calls the much-respected professor received - and one of the few that would make it past the copy desks of a daily newspaper.

Donald Trump's tweet in support of Cox probably had to wait while he composed the next one patting himself on the back for single-handedly saving Christmas.

Is this really where we are today? Is this what our country is going to look like in 2017? If you're an African-American, a Jew, a Muslim, an outspoken academic, a person with a disability, a  member of the LGBT community or just someone who cherishes freedom, the prospects are grim.

Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion. Follow on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook.

The fire was called in around 12:30 p.m and took over an hour to get under control, firefighters said

RARITAN - Three pets were saved from a fire that raged through a Raritan Township home Saturday afternoon, according to firefighters.

The blaze was called in around 12:30 p.m. Saturday at a home on the 100 block of Quail Ridge Drive, officials said. Firefighters arrived to find that there was no one in the house at the time of the fire, except for a dog and two cats, which were rescued from the flames, according to Raritan Township Fire Company Chief Steven Wetter.

Firefighters from Raritan, Quakertown, Clinton, Lebanon, Whitehouse Station and the Hunterdon Tanker Task Force, among others, worked for over an hour to get the flames under control.

The fire was still under investigation Saturday evening and firefighters did not know where it had started or what had caused the blaze, Wetter said.

Firefighters were able to save the structure but it remained heavily damaged and uninhabitable Saturday night. 

Anna Merriman may be reached at amerriman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @anna_merriman

It won't feel like early January outside in New Jersey on New Year's Day.

Well, the weather outside is not so frightful on this New Year's Day morning. 

Skies are mostly clear, the sun will be coming out and temperatures are expected to climb into the mid-40s in northern New Jersey, the upper 40s in central New Jersey and will make a run for 50 degrees in South Jersey.

If those temperatures hold up, they'll be 6 to 8 degrees warmer than usual for Jan. 1. The normal high is 38 degrees in Morristown, 40 in Trenton and 42 in Atlantic City.

New Jerseyans won't have too much time to enjoy the unseasonably warm 2017 debut, because clouds and cooler temperatures will be arriving Sunday night, paving the way for a batch of freezing rain during the late-night hours and overnight into Monday morning, according to forecasters.

Polar bear plungers set to swim today

"Though any glaze is expected to be light, it could be enough to cause hazardous travel conditions," the National Weather Service noted in a hazardous weather outlook issued for the northern half of the state, as well as parts of Atlantic, Burlington, Cumberland, Mercer, Monmouth and Ocean counties. "Light freezing rain could linger into Monday morning, and into Monday afternoon for the higher terrain in the southern Poconos and northwest New Jersey."

Low temperatures on Sunday night will range from 27 degrees in North Jersey to right around the freezing mark in Central Jersey and South Jersey -- 31 to 32 degrees.

With temperatures warming up to the upper 40s to around 50 on Monday, rain is likely across most of the state, forecasters said. Warm and wet weather will continue on Tuesday, with rain getting heavy at times, and colder weather is expected to return later this week.

More New York City area weather

More Philadelphia area weather

Len Melisurgo may be reached at LMelisurgo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @LensReality or like him on Facebook. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

The new year begins with thousands of pets in New Jersey awaiting adoption.

If you're interested in helping homeless animals but aren't able to adopt one, there are a number of other ways you can be of assistance.

Realistically, not everyone can adopt. People who live in apartments or developments that have no-pets policies fall into that category, as do people with allergies or disabilities that will not allow them to care for pets of their own. Adoptapet.com offers these suggestions for ways people who want to help can participate in caring for homeless animals.

* Help out at a local shelter. It's not glamorous work by any means, but it's vital and will be very much appreciated. You can do anything from help walk dogs to bottle feed kittens, help clean kennels or cat's cages or even help with bathing and grooming. Contact your local shelter to find out their policies regarding volunteers.

 

* If you're handy, you can lend a hand in many ways. Shelters usually need repairs of many kinds, so fixer-uppers can help out like that. If you sew, quilt or crochet, you can make blankets for your local shelter.

* Help out at an adoption event. Many shelters and rescue groups participate in local events by hosting a table with pets available for adoption. They also hold these program at malls, pet supply stores and banks, and can always use a helping hand.

* For galleries like this one and for online adoptions sites, often a shelter or rescue group doesn't have the time or equipment to shoot good photos of their adoptable pets, Something as simple as making yourself available to shoot and provide digital files of pet photos can be a big help.

* Donate. It doesn't have to be money; shelters need cleaning supplies, pet food, toys for the animals and often even things we don't think twice about getting rid of like old towels and newspapers. Every little bit helps.

If you don't know where your local animal shelter or rescue group is, a quick online search will reveal a number of results. It doesn't take a lot of time or effort to get involved but it provides immeasurable assistance.

Above is a gallery of dogs and cats in New Jersey in need of adoption. More homeless pets can be seen by clicking here and here.

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

Among those who sold at a loss in 2016: Artie Lange and Ice-T, while Mary J. Blige trimmed the price on her Saddle River estate three times, but no takers

Celebrities, they're just like us -- losing a bundle when they bought during the real estate bubble! 

It had to sting for Ice-T and his wife Coco when their North Bergen townhouse, which they lavished with hundreds of thousands of dollars in renovations and custom touches, sold for $800,000 in November. They paid $1.5 million for it in 2008. 

Comedian Artie Lange bought his waterfront Toms River vacation home for $2.45 million in 2008, and tried to sell it off and on since 2010, starting at an ambitious $3.5 million. He ultimately accepted $1.35 million in May. 

Mary J. Blige hasn't yet sold her Saddle River spread, but the R&B queen, who listed the home in 2015 for $13 million, cut the price three times in 2016. She's now asking $9.88 million for the 8-bedroom mansion with its own indoor basketball court. She reportedly paid $12.8 million for the home in 2005. 

And "Real Housewives of New Jersey" star Teresa Giudice lost the second of two properties to foreclosure -- a 3-bedroom rental property in Lincoln Park that didn't garner a single bid and was sold back to her lender for $100 in March, shortly after her husband Joe reported to federal prison for a 41-month fraud sentence. They bought the house in 2005 for $170,000. The lender unloaded it in July for $69,900. (Her "RHONJ" co-star Jacqueline Laurita did manage to wrest her Franklin Lakes home out of foreclosure in June.) 

Not everyone suffered -- Natalie Morales, off to Los Angeles to host "Access Hollywood," sold her Hoboken townhouse for her $3.1 million asking price (she bought it for $1 million, but we don't know how much she spent to renovate and expand it). 

Click through our slideshow above to wallow in real estate schadenfreude, or read about more celebrity real estate deals in New Jersey 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. 60: Best and worst TV of 2016

Gov. Chris Christie deserves high marks for advocating on behalf of those who have struggled with drug addiction, including their families.

Gov. Chris Christie chose the shortest day of the year - Dec. 21 - to highlight a plague that has long held New Jersey in its grip.

At a candlelight vigil on the steps of the State House, as the late afternoon daylight faded, the governor presided over an event designed to honor survivors of drug addictions and those who work with recovering drug users.

It was a powerful statement, as well as a reminder of the tough job still ahead for 2017.

About 28,000 of our state's residents sought treatment for drug addiction last year, NJSpotlight reported after the somber gathering. About 1,200 of our neighbors died.

On the national scene, the picture as equally grim. A new study by the U.S. Surgeon General indicated that drug addiction affects one in seven Americans, but only 10 percent get the help they need. The death toll is in the hundreds of thousands.

Christie deserves high marks for advocating on victims' behalf, now and in years past.

Christie marks anniversary of addiction task force

"Addiction is not a moral failing," the governor told vigil-goers. "It is a disease - a disease that can be treated."

And he has acted on that compassionate belief, not only keeping drug addiction high on his agenda, but also convening a summit and task force in 2014 that brought together professionals, survivors and other stakeholders to search out better ways to tackle the problem.

Under his watch, local police forces have expanded the use of the antidote Narcan to counter the effects of overdoses. Christie also has encouraged the widening of needle-exchange programs beyond the five cities (Atlantic City, Camden, Jersey City, Newark and Paterson) in which they now operate.

Moreover, this summer he pledged $200,000 to help fund that exchange program, after cash-strapped operators of the program launched an online fund drive to continue their work.

Perhaps one of the biggest challenges still remains: convincing a skeptical public that the vast majority of addicts deserve support, not scorn, for an affliction that is as real - and as potentially fatal - as diabetes and heart disease.

As the governor frequently points out, addiction knows no racial or economic lines. It is an equal-opportunity destroyer of families.

"I will not stand for the idea that any soul is irredeemable," Christie said at the vigil. "Everyone has the ability to fight back from this disease, but we have to give them the tools to do it."

Let's hope the person who occupies the governor's office after the upcoming election feels the same way and shows the same commitment.

Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion. Follow on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook.

Two new teams enter the Top 20 this week

After the same 20 teams from the NJ.com Preseason Top 20 populated the first regular season NJ.com Top 20 last week, this week's poll features two new teams and a great deal of shifting.

SLIDESHOW: The NJ.com Top 20

St. Joseph (Met.) breaks into the NJ.com Top 20 after topping previously ranked Seton Hall Prep in the Neptune Holiday Jubilee, while St. Peter's Prep bested Teaneck at the Jingle Bell Jubilee to make it into the rankings. St. Mary (Eliz.) made the biggest jump of the week, going from No. 12 to No. 6 after besting then-No. 5 Hudson Catholic.

Where else did teams land? Find out in the full rankings featured in the slideshow above.

Jeremy Schneider may be reached at jschneider@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @J_Schneider. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

The best shots from our photographers in 2016

With 2016 officially in the books, we felt you would enjoy taking a trip down memory lane to reflect on some of the outstanding athleticism that was showcased across New Jersey this past year.

Whether it was on the football field, basketball court, soccer pitch, baseball diamond, the track, in the pool or any other arena, outstanding plays were made and great accomplishments were achieved by high school standouts here in the Garden State on a consistent basis. Championship trophies were hoisted and there were some heartbreaking defeats, but in the end it was another memorable year for high school sports in New Jersey.

Check out the photo gallery posted above to relive some of the best moments that were displayed in 2016. Also, let us know what you think of these great images in the comments section below.

There was movement all over the poll after a wild start the 2016-2017 season.

Nearly $25,000 has been raised in two days for the Raritan Township family whose township home was extensively damaged in a New Year's Eve fire.

RARITAN TWP. - Nearly $25,000 has been raised in two days for the family whose township home was extensively damaged in a New Year's Eve fire.

A gofundme page started after the fire, which raised $24,501 of the $25,000 goal as of Tuesday morning, will help Kathleen Suchorsky, principal of the Robert Hunter Elementary School in Flemington, and John Suchorsky.

Three pets, a dog and two cats, were rescued from the Quail Ridge Drive home when the fire broke out on Saturday. No one else was home at the time of the fire.

Tiffany Leigh, who set up the gofundme page, said all three pets will be able to leave the animal hospital where they have been receiving treatment.

"First of all, thank you to everyone who has contributed already," Leigh wrote. "Your generosity and kindness are greatly appreciated.

"Good news everyone! The cats and dog are clear to come home. Thank goodness they are all okay. That is one less worry for Kathy and John."

The Flemington-Raritan School District also shared news about the fundraising efforts on its Facebook page.

Firefighters from Raritan, Quakertown, Clinton, Lebanon, Whitehouse Station and the Hunterdon Tanker Task Force, among others, worked for over an hour to get the flames under control.

Russell Steele and Courtney Steele of Milford are the proud parents of Samantha Riley, who was born at 12:29 a.m. on Jan. 1, 2017, at Hunterdon Medical Center, becoming the first baby born in the county in 2017.

RARITAN TWP. - Russell Steele and Courtney Steele of Milford are the proud parents of Samantha Riley, who was born at 12:29 a.m. on Sunday at Hunterdon Medical Center, becoming the first baby born in the county in 2017.

Dr. Jimena Rivas, of Advanced Obstetrics and Gynecology, delivered Samantha, who weighed 7 pounds and 3 ounces, and is 20.5 inches long.

Samantha is the second child of Russell and Courtney. Their first child, Madison, is 2 years old.  

A one-vehicle accident on Van Syckle Road in Union Township on Sunday, Jan. 1, 2017, injured one person.

UNION TWP. - A one-vehicle accident on New Year's Day injured one person.

The accident, reported at approximately 10:30 p.m. Sunday, happened on Syckle Road just west of Henderson Hill Road.

A Toyota Yaris, apparently traveling east on Van Syckle, crossed over to the other side of the road before going off the road and crashing into a drainage culvert, according to those on the scene.

The driver was transported to St Luke's in Bethlehem, Pa., by members of the Pattenburg Rescue Squad. Van Syckle Road was closed between Charlestown and Henderson Hill roads until 11:15 p.m.

In addition to the rescue squad, members of the Pattenburg Fire Department and the New Jersey State Police also responded.

A pair of 17-year-old Clinton Township teens were taken into protective custody after officers responded to a report of intoxicated juveniles yelling in the area of Arbor Court, police said.

CLINTON TWP. - A pair of 17-year-old township teens were taken into protective custody after officers responded to a report of intoxicated juveniles yelling in the area of Arbor Court, police said.

Police were called at approximately 12:15 a.m. on Dec. 23. The juveniles fled as police approached them; about 20 minutes later officers received a report of two boys in the woods near the intersection of Route 31 and Route 513, according to a police report.

The pair were spotted several times between Route 31 and Grayrock Road, but continued to run away when they were approached, police said.

They were eventually stopped and found to be highly intoxicated. Officers also noted damage to several mailboxes and fences in the area, police said.

The teens were released to the custody of their parents and the township's juvenile officer took over the investigation, police said.

See who is No. 1 in all 14 weight classes.

Following are the top eight ranked wrestlers at all 14 weight classes. New weight class rankings will be released every Tuesday.

106 pounds

1-Dante Mininno, Gateway, Jr.
2-Anthony Clark, Delbarton, Fr.
3-Dylan Cedeno, Fair Lawn, Fr.
4-Sammy Alvarez, St. Joseph (Mont.), So.
5-Hunter Gutierrez, Lacey, So.
6-Justin Bierdumpfel, Don Bosco Prep, Fr.
7-Nick Kayal, Bergen Catholic, Fr.
8-Cullen Day, Phillipsburg, Fr.

113 pounds

1-Joe Manchio, Seneca, Jr.
2-Robert Howard, Bergen Catholic, Fr.
3-Luke Ecklof, St. John Vianney, Sr.
4-Eddie Ventresca, Pope John, Fr.
5-Antonio Mininno, Gateway, Jr.
6-Joe King, Colts Neck, Jr.
7-Kyle Kaiser, Paramus, Jr.
8-Nick Schutzenhofer, Christian Brothers, Sr.

120 pounds

1-Pat Glory, Delbarton, Jr.
2-Joe Heilmann, South Plainfield, Jr.
3-Hunter Graf, Hunterdon Central, Jr.
4-Michael Kelly, St Peter’s Prep, So.
5-Joseph Aragona, Pope John, So.
6-Lucas Revano, Camden Catholic, So.
7-Richie Koehler, Christian Brothers, Jr.
8-Darby Deidrich, Howell, So.

126 pounds

1-Nick Raimo, Hanover Park, So.
2-Shane Metzler, West Morris, Sr.
3-Mark Schleiffer, East Brunswick, Sr.
4-Anthony Duca, Paulsboro, Sr.
5-Peter Nace, Hunterdon Central, Sr.
6-Carmen Ferrante, Bergen Catholic, Jr.
7-Yousef Salem, North Bergen, Jr.
8-Luke Moynihan, Lacey, Jr.

132 pounds

1-Giovanni Ghione, Brick Memorial, Sr.
2-Quinn Kinner, Kingsway, Jr.
3-Ray Wetzel, Queen of Peace, Sr.
4-Chris Scorese, Cranford, Sr.
5-Robert Garcia, Pope John, So.
6-Lou Raimo, Hanover Park, Sr.
7-Russell Benson, Raritan, Jr.
8-Jordan Robinson, Garfield, Sr.

138 pounds

1-Gerard Angelo, Bergen Catholic, Jr.
2-Rob Cleary, Bound Brook, Sr.
3-Jake Benner, Ocean Township, Jr.
4-Matt Kolonia, Delaware Valley, Sr.
5-Evan DeLuise, Don Bosco Prep, Sr.
6-Travis Layton, Woodstown, Sr.
7-John Burger, New Milford, Sr.
8-Trace Kinner, Kingsway, Sr.

145 pounds

1-Joe Casey, Bound Brook, Jr.
2-Ricky Cabanillas, DePaul, So.
3-Cole Corrigan, Toms River South, Jr.
4-Bryan Meyer, Phillipsburg, Jr.
5-Nick Santos, St. Peter’s Prep, Sr.
6-Matt Dallara, Hasbrouck Heights, Jr.
7-Jeff Johnson, Middlesex, Jr.
8-Nick Lombard, Monroe, Sr.

152 pounds

1-Stephan Glasgow, Bound Brook, Sr.
2-Shane Griffith, Bergen Catholic, Jr.
3-Michael O’Malley, Hasbrouck Heights, Jr.
4-Nick Palumbo, Lenape Valley, Sr.
5-Garrett Beam, Queen of Peace, Jr.
6-Robert Kanniard, Wall, So.
7-Dillon Taylor, St. Augustine, Sr.
8-T.J. Calas, Seton Hall Prep, Sr.

160 pounds

1-Mekhi Lewis, Bound Brook, Sr.
2-Kyle Cochran, Paramus, Sr.
3-Chris Foca, Bergen Catholic, So.
4-Jake Maxwell, Buena, Sr.
5-Michael Petite, Piscataway, Jr.
6-Chris Bollentino, Haddonfield, Jr.
7-Troy Navarino, Mendham, Sr.
8-Blaine Shade, Timber Creek, Sr.

170 pounds

1-Dominick Mandarino, Don Bosco Prep, Sr.
2-Billy Janzer, Delsea, Jr.
3-Bryan McLaughlin, Woodbridge, Sr.
4-Phil Rogers, Delran, Sr.
5-Aidan Monteverdi, Seton Hall Prep, Sr.
6-Barak Pipkins, Bloomfield, Sr.
7-Cole Kreshpane, Delbarton, Jr.
8-Joe McCarthy, Cedar Grove, Sr.

182 pounds

1-Shane Sosinsky, Northern Highlands, Sr.
2-George Walton, Bound Brook, Sr.
3-Dean Helstowski, Brick Township, Sr.
4-Seon Bowker, Southern, Sr.
5-Michael Iodice, Hunterdon Central, Sr.
6-Vince Concina, Cranford, Sr.
7-L.J. Castellano, Delbarton, Sr.
8-Dan Surich, Mahwah, Sr.

195 pounds

1-Brandon Kui, DePaul, Sr.
2-Matt McKenzie, Wall, Sr.
3-Andrew Horun, Phillipsburg, Sr.
4-Van Miller, Bridgewater-Raritan, Sr.
5-Dominic Maniero, Queen of Peace, Sr.
6-Chad Watt, Woodstown, Sr.
7-Kyle Lightner, Delaware Valley, Jr.
8-Brian Bonino, Paramus, Sr.

220 pounds

1-Joe Soreco, DePaul, Sr.
2-Pete Acciardi, Don Bosco Prep, Jr.
3-Robert Melise, Phillipsburg, Sr.
4-Zach DelVecchio, South Plainfield, So.
5-Victor Lacombe, Hunterdon Central, Sr.
6-Sean O’Malley, Hasbrouck Heights, Sr.
7-Eric Keosseian, Howell, Sr.
8-Farhan Khan, Carteret, Sr.

285 pounds

1-Eric Chakonis, Don Bosco Prep, Sr.
2-Michael Porcaro, Sayreville, Sr.
3-Dylan D’Amore, Montgomery, Sr.
4-Keith Swartley, Cinnaminson, Sr.
5-Parker Fox, Montville, Sr.
6-Nick Rivera, Brick Memorial, Sr.
7-Alex LaGrippo, Woodbridge, Sr.
8-Elyezer Oliviery, Union City, Sr.

Bill Evans can be reached at bevans@njadvancemedia.com or by leaving a note in the comments below. Follow him on Twitter @BEvansSports. Find and like the NJ.com High School Wrestling page on Facebook.

Market Pizza in the Stockton Market will be serving venison pizza from Jan. 13-15, 2017, to raise money for Hunters Helping the Hungry in Hunterdon County

STOCKTON - Market Pizza in the Stockton Market will be serving venison pizza to raise money for Hunters Helping the Hungry in Hunterdon County as part of a kickoff to four weeks of wild game-featured pizzas.

The pizza will be available from Jan. 13-15. The opening night, taking place on Friday, Jan. 13, will also feature the music of the TieDye Hillbilly Dance Band from 6-9 p.m.

Venison pizza is the brainchild of Rotarians Lester Giese of North Hunterdon Rotary and Megan Jones-Holt of Clinton Sunrise Rotary to help raise funds for Hunters Helping the Hungry and to raise awareness for the Hunger in Hunterdon Campaign, a long-running collaboration involving six area Rotary clubs: Clinton Sunrise, Horizon-E, Flemington, Lambertville, North and Whitehouse.

Jones-Holt, a partner and chef of Market Pizza, saw it as a fun way to raise funds for Hunters Helping the Hungry. The pizza joins weekly special offerings that include personal-sized artisan gourmet pizzas such as shrimp and grits, brussel sprouts with pistachios and cranberry bacon.

The venison has been donated by Mark Charbonneau, a Hunters Helping the Hungry board member, and processed by Game Butchers on Route 31 in Lebanon. The meat and event has been approved by the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife, the state and Hunterdon County health departments.

Hunters Helping the Hungry reach million-meal mark

For each venison pizza purchased, a part of the proceeds will go to Hunters Helping the Hungry.

Those less adventurous who still want to participate can select from the regular menu or visit any one of the market's other food vendors and make a donation directly to the organization.

Giese, an avid hunter, is one of the originating members of the non-profit Hunters Helping the Hungry in Hunterdon County, which began in 1997. He said the idea was to share venison with those in need.

Local hunters donate their deer to select state health department-inspected partner butchers. The meat is then distributed through Warren County-based NORWESCAP. All money raised goes towards the processing of the venison, with over 1.6 million meals donated to date.

Hunters Helping the Hungry in Hunterdon County will be at the market to accept donations and answer questions.

Market Pizza is located in the Stockton Market, 19 Bridge St., and is open Fridays from noon to 8 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Donations to Hunters Helping the Hungry can be mailed to P.O. Box 587, Lebanon, NJ 08833, or through Paypal at www.huntershelpingthehungry.org.

Craig Turpin may be reached at cturpin@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @NJeditor. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Hate speech remains a problem - as evidenced by three Ivy League school teams being suspended for creating offensive messages.

College athletic programs promote team-building, stress the importance of fair play and reinforce the values young scholar-athletes should embrace as they head into the wider world.

Except when they don't.

Something apparently went horribly wrong at Princeton University this semester, leading officials to suspend the men's swimming and diving team from competing for the remainder of the season.

The move came after messages described as racist, vulgar and misogynistic were discovered on an electronic mailing list, the school said in a statement. A university spokesman told The New York Times that the comments were made about members of the women's swimming and diving team.

"The behavior that we have learned about is simply unacceptable," Mollie Marcoux Sarmaan, the university's director of athletics, said.

Princeton U. cancels men's swimming season

That the offensive messages exist at all is appalling enough. But that the suspension represents the third such punishment against an Ivy League team since November makes the ugly behavior less an aberration and more a deep-rooted plague.

As The New York Times reported, Harvard cancelled the remainder of the season for its men's soccer team after officials became aware players using sexually explicit terms to rate female plays. Columbia meted out a similar punishment while officials investigated text messages players sent that allegedly used racist, misogynistic and homophobic language.

The Associated Press reported that some of the messages originating at Columbia disparaged female students, while others expressed hope that someone would be sexually assaulted at a campus event or used slurs against blacks in the context of discussing the police shooting of unarmed black teenager Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri.

It's way too glib to pass this behavior off as "boys being boys." Too glib and too dangerous, especially in a national culture in which hatred, anti-Semitism, racism and other forms of bigotry are festering.  

We've seen where closing our eyes to the exploits of athletes can have tragic consequences. It happened here in New Jersey, where a dozen players from the Glen Ridge High School football team raped a mentally handicapped girl in 1989 - only to have members of the community rally around their local "heroes."

Treated as gods, lauded by their schoolmates and lionized by their adoring crowds, these young men (usually they're men, although it can happen to women as well) absorb the seductive message: As long as they keep winning, they can get away with anything.

Until they can't. Until the likes of Princeton or Columbia or Harvard pull the plug.

There are going to be people - fans, alums - who squawk that the punishment is excessive. It's not. Any team players who think they can get strew their filth with abandon need to know there are consequences. Those consequences start here.

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