The average residential property tax bill for schools is more than $9,000 in each of these towns. See if yours made the list.

The Chipwich, an ice cream sandwich made with chocolate chip cookies and rolled in chocolate chips, was created in New Jersey and became a popular ice cream novelty in the 1980s, inspiring many imitators. In 2011, it went off the market. Now, the snack is back.

The criminal complaint does not specify how Roosevelt Rene was injured.

A man found dead at Giants cornerback Janoris Jenkins' Fair Lawn home died after  a fight with Jenkins' brother, according to documents obtained Thursday by NJ Advance Media.

William Jenkins. (Ontario County, New York, Sheriff's Office)

Jenkins and Roosevelt Rene -- a music producer who went professionally by the name "Trypps Beatz" -- became involved in a "physical altercation" inside the home early Monday morning, according to an affidavit of probable caused that explains why an aggravated manslaughter charge was brought against William Jenkins.

The complaint against William Jenkins, filed in state Superior Court in Bergen County, does not specify the type of fatal injuries Rene sustained during the alleged fight.

Rene's lifeless body was discovered Tuesday by police officers responding to a report of suspicious conditions at the spacious home on Van Saun Place.

A neighbor told NJ Advance Media that William Jenkins had shared the home with his brother.

Rene, a friend of Janoris Jenkins, was also living in the home while the Giants player was in Florida.

Hear and follow @Trypps_Beatz on #SoundCloud https://t.co/jf9wIGp6EM

-- TRYPPS BEATZ (@Trypps_Beatz) April 23, 2018

The complaint, authored by a Bergen County Prosecutor's Office detective, alleges William Jenkins fled the state after the fatal fight.

He was later arrested and jailed on a parole violation in Ontario County, New York, shortly after the alleged killing.

Records show Jenkins -- who has at least seven prior arrests -- is on parole for two felony drug convictions in New York.

Investigators learned of the alleged fight after interviewing Jenkins in the Ontario County Jail, the affidavit states.

It is not yet known when Jenkins will appear in state Superior Court in New Jersey in the homicide case, or whether he has retained an attorney who can comment on the charges.

Thomas Moriarty may be reached at tmoriarty@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @ThomasDMoriarty.

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The effort to recall Mahwah Mayor Bill Laforet was launched primarily to honor the legacy of former Department of Public Works Director Ed Sinclair, according to the organizer. Watch video

A controversy over a discriminatory law, and political infighting were part of it, but the effort to recall Mahwah Mayor Bill Laforet was launched primarily to honor the legacy of the town's late Department of Public Works Director Ed Sinclair, according to the recall's organizer.

Melanie Sue, head of the Committee to Recall Mayor Laforet, told the Mahwah Council Thursday night that the group submitted more than 5,000 signatures to the Township Clerk Wednesday that were collected by volunteers to get a question on the November ballot asking whether Laforet should remain in office.

Recall supports wore a picture of Ed Sinclair to the council meeting.Allison Pries | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com 

The group needed 4,170 signatures -- 25 percent of the registered voters in the last election -- to get the question on the ballot.

"One of the most disturbing things we found going door to door was how many residents were afraid to sign because of their worry of retaliation from the mayor," Sue told the council, as she read from a prepared statement. "In light of the accusations against the mayor in the Ed Sinclair lawsuit, and the numerous anecdotes from citizens who have been targeted by the mayor, we appreciate their concerns."

Sinclair -- who ran for mayor against Laforet in 2012 -- was suspended from his job as DPW Director when Laforet allegedly got an anonymous letter falsely accusing Sinclair of having child pornography on his work computer. An investigation determined that there was adult pornography on the computer but it had been accessed by another DPW employee. Laforet suspended Sinclair anyway for poor oversight.

The council reinstated Sinclair during a raucous council meeting in March 2015. Sinclair died in August 2015 and his family filed a multi-million dollar wrongful death lawsuit against the township and Laforet saying his death was caused by stress from the false accusation.

Laforet maintains that the recall was "fueled and fired" by Council President Robert Hermansen, a vocal critic of Laforet, who "mislead and deceived residents to sign the petition," the mayor said.

"He's behind it 100 percent," Laforet said.

Laforet said he stood up for civil rights when he went against the council on a now-dead ordinance that banned out-of-state residents from township parks and resulted in a lawsuit from the Attorney General's Office. State law enforcement alleged the ordinance was discriminatory, and aimed at keeping Orthodox Jews out of the town's parks.

The town also recently settled a similar lawsuit from an Orthodox group alleging the town's attempt to ban their eruvs -- PVC pipes on utility poles that act as a religious boundary -- was discriminatory.

"I do not regret standing up for the civil rights of any ... human beings," the mayor said, "and this petition will not make me waiver."

Council President Robert Hermansen said neither he nor any other council members had anything to do with the recall.

"For him to make the comments he did shows he's blaming other people for his incompetence," Hermansen said. "He's a failure to this town and to the community."

Sue, during her statement at the council meeting, scoffed at Laforet's previous comments that he championed civil rights.

"As for his claims of standing up for civil rights, ask the family of Ed Sinclair or the merchants who supported his opponents about the mayor protecting their civil rights," Sue said, in the group's first public statement since filing the petition. 

Sue also called on Laforet to resign, something he said Wednesday he had "absolutely zero" plans to do.

"It's time for this town to be led by people who want to work together for our common good and not for their own agendas or ambitions," Sue said.

Bergen County Freeholder Mary Amoroso, a former Mahwah council member, commended Sue during the public comments period for getting so many signatures -- and defended Laforet.

"Mayor Laforet is far from perfect," she said. "However, Mayor Laforet has done a lot of good for Mahwah ... Mayor Laforet is not corrupt" -- which drew laughs from the audience. (They were shushed by Hermansen).

"And I believe that the recall effort is, in part, a distraction from the horrible eruv situation, which continues to this day. Although the town council has certainly made efforts to rectify some of the unconstitutional and illegal ordinances," Amoroso said.

Township Clerk Kathrine Coviello now has 10 business days, until July 12, to verify  the signatures on the recall petition.

"She just has to make a determination whether the person was qualified and whether there were a sufficient number," Township Attorney Brian Chewcaskie told the council Thursday night.

Laforet can challenge the petitions and can take the issue to court, Chewcaskie said. Potential candidates to fill the mayoral position cannot petition to have their name on the ballot until the challenges are resolved, he said.

"The statute specifically provides that the mayor can run for his position," the Township Attorney said.

Laforet was first elected mayor in 2011. His current term expires in 2020.

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

Volunteers say Merry is a very mellow girl looking for a quiet relaxing house.

Merry 

PARK RIDGE -- Merry is an adult female German shepherd/collie mix in the care of Halfway Hounds Rescue.

Found as a stray in Newark with broken teeth and metal in her stomach, she was terrified in a shelter and was brought to a foster home.

Volunteers say "Merry is a very mellow girl looking for a quiet relaxing house to make her forever home." She is housebroken, spayed and up-to-date on shots.

For more information on Merry, call 201-497-4364, email adopt@halfwayhounds.org or go to halfwayhounds.org. Halfway Hounds is a volunteer based nonprofit organization that gives po-tentially adoptable dogs a new leash on life.

Shelters interested in placing a pet in the Paw Print adoption column or submitting news should call 973-836-4922 or email ghatala@starledger.com.

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

Family of 26-year-old Roosevelt Rene, who was found in the Giants player's basement, has created a GoFundMe page to help with funeral expenses.

Casinos can stay open but regulators face furloughs, the state Attorney General's office said in a letter obtained by NJ Advance Media. A shutdown could affect sports betting. Watch video

New Jersey's racetrack operators have been warned they'll be forced to close if the state government shuts down because Gov. Phil Murphy and lawmakers can't reach a state budget compromise by Saturday at midnight.

Atlantic City casinos, meanwhile, will be allowed to remain open for a week even as the state workers charged with regulating them are furloughed, according to two letters sent out Friday by divisions of the state Attorney General's Office and obtained by NJ Advance Media.

This could also temporarily shut down sports betting at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, only two weeks after such wagering became legal in New Jersey.

The only way you can bet in the state right now is to do so in person at casinos and tracks. Online sports wagering has not started yet.

Casinos would still be allowed to take sports bets, the Attorney General's Office said.

No other racetracks besides Monmouth Park have started taking wagers on sports games yet.

Murphy vs. Sweeney: What to know

The letters come as Murphy and his fellow Democrats who control the state Legislature remain in a stalemate over New Jersey's new budget, which must be approved by the end of the month. Otherwise, Murphy could order a shutdown that could close state parks and beaches and close state offices and courts until a deal is reached. 

The news, which was first reported by Politico New Jersey, drew a rebuke from state Senate President Stephen Sweeney, who has remained at loggerheads with Murphy over the state's finances. 

"They can't do that," Sweeney, D-Gloucester, told NJ Advance Media, after emerging from another negotiating session with the governor in Trenton on Friday morning. "There's already a law in place."

Under state law stemming from the 2006 shutdown, casinos and racetracks are allowed to remain open for up to a week if a state of emergency is declared because of a blown budget deadline. 

But a letter sent Friday by the director of the New Jersey Racing Commission said the law required racetrack operators to submit notice to the state by June 1 if they intended to stay open in the event of a shutdown. 

"No New Jersey racetrack has complied with the requirements," the letter claimed. 

Which parks and beaches could close

A separate letter sent to Atlantic City casinos by the Division of Gaming Enforcement said they had met the deadline but state gambling enforcement officials "have not been deemed" essential employees and will have to be replaced by temporary workers paid for by the gambling halls.

The letter states that "while casinos can stay open without regulators present, certain internal controls must be in place so that private individuals complete the primary responsibilities that the regulators would otherwise fulfill."

The requirements include hiring an accountant to keep tabs on transactions and putting electronic monitoring in place of gambling activities. Casinos that fail to comply would face "enhanced penalties," the letter states. 

If tracks close, there would be no betting at Monmouth Park in Oceanport -- the only track that's offering such wagering so far. It's unclear if it would still be allowed at casinos. 

Dennis Drazin, the operator of Monmouth Park, did not immediately return a message Friday seeking comment. 

Murphy and top lawmakers disagree over which taxes to raise to pay for increases to public school funding, NJ Transit, and more. 

Murphy wants to increase income taxes on millionaires and revert the state sales tax to 7 percent form 6.625 percent. 

But Sweeney and state Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin, D-Middlesex, oppose those ideas, saying New Jersey is over-taxed.

Instead, lawmakers have offered to raise Corporation Business Taxes on the state's largest corporations to a nation-high 13 percent for four years, double the Realty Transfer Fee on high-end home sales to 2 percent and expand the sales tax to include short-term rentals.

Murphy met with Sweeney and Coughlin at his office Friday morning to discuss possible compromises. Sweeney said they will meet again in the afternoon. 

Lawmakers refused to divulge details of the morning sit-down.

"We're talking," Sweeney said. "I'm not gonna say anything else."

Asked if he's hopeful, Coughlin said: "I'm always hopeful. Hope springs eternal."

NJ Advance Media staff writers Matt Arco and Samantha Marcus contributed to this report.

S.P. Sullivan may be reached at ssullivan@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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

Class 243 is the first class in New Jersey history to graduate under the new title of correctional police officers Watch video

TRENTON --  The state Department of Corrections presented badges to 147 new officers Thursday.

Acting DOC Director Marcus O. Hicks, Esq. administered the oath of office and presented each new officer with his or her badge.

During the ceremony at the Patriots Theater at the War Memorial in downtown Trenton, the department also celebrated recent officer promotions and presented individual awards and honors to 11 new officers.

Class President Officer Gregory P. Cinnella III pointed out in his address that "Class 243 has the distinction of being the first class in the history of New Jersey to graduate under the new title of correctional police officers."

He called the class, "One cohesive team charged with one righteous mission" and encouraged them to, "Hold your heads up high because we have earned every bit of our way here today."

The graduates of Class 243 come from 17 of New Jersey's 21 counties, with 28 from Essex County, and 20 from Middlesex County.

The rest of the officers and their county of residence:

Atlantic, 1; Bergen, 16; Burlington, 2; Camden, 3; Cape May, 1; Cumberland, 12; Gloucester, 2; Hudson, 10; Hunterdon, 1; Mercer, 11; Monmouth, 11; Ocean, 11; Passaic 7; Somerset, 1; Sussex, 2; and Union, 8.

Michael Mancuso may be reached at mmancuso@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @michaelmancuso, Instagram @michaelmancuso and Facebook @michaelmancuso
Follow NJ.com on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Vargas, on Friday told reporters that a new law being proposed in his daughter's name -- to keep better tabs on school bus driver's driving violations -- is overdue. Watch video

Jeovany Vargas celebrated his daughter Miranda's 11th birthday this week by bringing her favorite cupcake to her gravesite.

The East Brook Middle School student was killed, along with her teacher Jennifer M. Williamson, 51, in a horrific school bus crash on Route 80 last month.

Vargas on Friday told reporters that a new law being proposed in his daughter's name -- to keep better tabs on school bus driver's driving violations -- is overdue.

"How could someone who has their driver's license suspended 14 times be trusted with the life of my daughter?" he asked during an emotional press conference at Brookside Park in River Edge to announce "Miranda's Law." 

Miranda Vargasfamily photo 

Congressman Josh Gottheimer (D-5th District) said he will work to pass the bipartisan Miranda Vargas School Bus Driver Red Flag Act -- or Miranda's Law -- which is co-sponsored by Congressman John Faso, a Republican from New York. Aimed at keeping unsafe bus drivers off the road, the law would require automatic notification of driver violations to school districts and school bus companies within 24 hours of an infraction.

Right now, it could take up to 364 days for a violation to be reported, Gottheimer said. 

The law builds off of a Department of Transportation pilot program in Colorado and Minnesota. If enacted, it would require all states to use the employer notification system to qualify for federal highway aid funds. 

The cost of the system is unknown, Gottheimer said, but "if we save one life out of this process it was worth the investment."

Vargas described Miranda as "sweet, kind" and always looking out for other children. "Numerous times she received what is called a 'Pat on the Back' award, "given to kids who help others," he said. "This was who she was. She was an exceptional child."

Miranda loved cartoons and watching slime videos. She was "a normal, happy, gentle, pure child."

She was a gymnast who was inspired by Olympian Laurie Hernandez, he said. "She just recently showed me how her calf was getting stronger," Vargas said.

She was also a "little bit of a clown," who enjoyed imitating Ellen Degeneres. She would freely speak of God, a teacher told Vargas after her death, and constantly reminded her family to pray when they didn't.

Two weeks before her death, the unicorn-loving girl asked her mother "if there were any unicorns in heaven," Vargas said. 

Particularly heartbroken is Miranda's twin sister, Madison. "This is not fair for an 11-year-old child," her dad said. "This should have never happened."

"Why was she stripped from her sister? ... The lives of the Williamson family will never be the same. The lives of the children on that bus will never be the same," Vargas said. 

The driver of the Paramus school bus, Hudy Muldrow Sr., 77, of Woodland Park, was charged with two counts of reckless vehicular homicide in the deaths of Vargas and Williamson. Muldrow was employed by the school district and was driving a Paramus Board of Education bus.

Authorities say Muldrow attempted to use an official-only cut through on Route 80 after missing the exit for Waterloo Village. A dump truck in the center lane of I-80 hit the rear of the bus, ripping it from its chassis.

Muldrow has a checkered driving record. The state Department of Education, in December, sent him and Paramus school officials a letter saying Muldrow's driver's license was suspended or revoked and that his medical certification expired. It was restored Jan. 24.

Muldrow's license was suspended 14 times between 1975 and 2017, according to Motor Vehicle Commission records. Six of those were for parking violations. Seven of them were for administrative or paperwork reasons. One was for driving while his license was suspended. 

He also had eight speeding tickets, was cited for improper lane change in 2010 and was involved in five previous crashes. It's unclear if those incidents occurred while driving a school bus or his personal vehicle. 

Miranda's law is the second piece of legislation that Gottheimer has sponsored since the Paramus bus crash. Last month he introduced the SECURES Act, which would require seat belts on all school buses nationwide, and make three-point lap and shoulder seat belts the national standard. That law would also encourage alerts and other measures to make sure students are wearing seat belts.

Bergen County Executive James Tedesco, at the press conference Friday, said officials there are working with manufacturers to see how quickly the 51 buses that take kids to the county-run schools can be retro-fitted with the better seatbelts. 

"I'm hoping that by the time school opens in September some of the buses are already done and that the ones (new buses) we're ordering now will have the three-point harnesses," Tedesco said. 

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

Homesense, the sister store to HomeGoods, is expanding in New Jersey. The latest location opened in Paramus on June 28, drawing home design enthusiasts and anyone else who had been anxiously awaiting the store's opening since construction started in the spring.

Huge decreases in students kindergarten through 2nd grade could spell trouble ahead for some N.J. school districts, especially those in rural areas.

Police have yet to say what specifically killed Roosevelt Rene, a family friend of Janoris Jenkins.

While many New Jersey children are gearing up for summer vacation 11-year-old Zaina Matahen is visiting the neurologist, undergoing MRI's, and seeing a counselor twice a week.

While many New Jersey children are gearing up for summer vacation by getting excited about trips or heading to summer camp, 11-year-old Zaina Matahen is visiting the neurologist, undergoing MRI's, and seeing a counselor twice a week.

Zaina is one of 38 students from East Brook Middle School whose daily life is now different than most kids.

Zaina's best friend and next-door neighbor, Miranda Vargas was killed when their school bus crashed on Route 80 in May.

The wreck that also claimed the life of her social studies teacher, Jennifer Williamson. Zaina was fortunate enough to walk away from the accident with only a concussion, scrapes and bruises.

But her father, Nick Matahen, said the emotional scars are still visible for his family, and for the entire Paramus Community.

"The physical wounds are healing. She has permanent scars on her eyelid, but we have to deal with the emotional scars," Matahen said. "Today, I cannot tell you if she's good, bad or indifferent. It's a lot of emotions."

Paramus community members have been checking in on the victims' families around the clock, he said, bringing food and performing random acts of kindness to show their support, long after the spotlight shifted from the town.

"Every day we have been getting either a breakfast, dinner, gift cards. There are people wanting to do your dishes or wash your car or cut the grass. We're so grateful to the Paramus community for their love, compassion and support," he said.

That heartbreak lingers as Matahen recalled the nightmare-ish hours of May 17, when he got word that the bus carrying his daughter's fifth-grade class to Waterloo Village for a field trip had wrecked, and was given very little details on her condition.

Nick Matahen and his daughter Zaina Matahen. Zaina was on a school bus carrying 5th graders on a field trip from East Brook Middle School that crashed in May (courtesy of Nick Matahen)Alexis Johnson | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com 

Matahen, a volunteer firefighter and soccer coach in Paramus, fought back tears as he recalled the four hours it took to locate Zaina at Hackettstown Medical Center.

"I don't think there are words to express that emotion ... the feelings, the stress. I don't know how I was driving. I don't know who I talked to. My mind was fixed on one thing, knowing where my daughter is and what her injuries were."

Those feelings were much the same for Taylor Lee, a physical therapist, whose daughter Sofia also walked away from the crash with a severe concussion.

"It really was the worst nightmare. I've never in the 11 years of my daughter's life felt so completely helpless," Lee said of rushing to Morristown Medical Center where Sofia gave doctors the wrong name when she arrived as a result of her head injury.

Moments before finding her, Lee was asked to identify another child that matched Sofia's description who was in critical condition, a scene that very much depicted the chaos of that day, and the memories he is haunted with today.

Sofia Lee, her mother Christine and sister Isabella. Sofia was injured in the N.J. school bus crash in Mt. Olive that left two dead (courtesy of Taylor Lee)Alexis Johnson | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com 

"Time does wonders, and time will hopefully bring us all back some normalcy. But there will be a period of recovery for all of us," Lee said. 

Both Sofia and Zaina missed several weeks of school, though Matahen and Lee say the district was very flexible in letting kids return when they were ready, giving them breaks throughout the day and allowing them to complete the amount of school work they could handle.

In the meantime, Zaina raised money for her classmates to have two days of free lunch at East Brook, in honor of her close friend Miranda. She's also been speaking with politicians to try and fight for new legislation surrounding school bus safety.

The 77-year-old bus driver that allegedly attempted an illegal U-turn after missing an exit was charged with two counts of vehicular homicide and was released from jail on the condition that he turn in his driver's license.

10-year-old Zaina Matahen has been sending a list of demands to local politicians to fight for new legislation surrounding school bus safety (courtesy of Nick Matahen)Alexis Johnson | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com 

"Part of our healing is seeing others heal, but at the same time our mission is change. We need to change these ancient laws and rules. We are trying to make sure this never happens again," Matahen said.

On Monday, the New Jersey Senate passed legislation requiring three-point seatbelts on school buses, sending the bill to Governor Murphy's desk for his signature. 

As for Lee, he has been working with the founder of the Paramus Children's Health Foundation, Marty Diamond, who's raised tens of thousands of dollars for the victims and their families since the crash.

"The only thing we could do to help these families is to hopefully relieve a little bit of their financial burden. I wish we could do more, but that is our goal. These families are going to have bills for years down the road and we want to continue to provide for families for years," Diamond said.

Lee said Sofia is also seeing a neurologist and is enrolled in physical therapy, as she struggles with some amnesia and suffers frequent headaches.

"Tragedy strikes and we as humans have to move on. But it's important to remember those things, there are still people that are still struggling to move past that. It's always important to remember people."

Alexis Johnson may be reached at ajohnson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @alexisjreports. Find nj.com on Facebook.

New Jersey shelters and rescues have hundreds of animals available for adoption.

According to the Washington Post, new dog owners can expect to spend between $1,200 and $2,000 in the first year, and as much as $14,500 over their pup's lifetime for routine care costs alone. Unexpected accidents and illnesses also happen, and it can get expensive when they do.

Having the essentials can help alleviate the financial aspect of bringing home a puppy. Pet parents should plan for the following:

1. Good quality food: Read the ingredients to make sure the food is formulated for puppies and has meat as the first ingredient rather than food that is full of filler.

2. Comfortable bedding: Make sure the puppy has a warm and quiet place to rest.

3. Treats and toys: Treats are great training tools for a new puppy but should not make up more than 5% of his or her daily diet. When a new puppy comes home be sure to have a few interactive toys to keep them busy and help them learn to self-entertain.

4. Collar, ID tag, leash, and microchip: Safety is key. Microchipping a pet can save their life. Having a collar and nametag to identify the pet in case they get lost is also important.

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

Nearly $10 billion worth of real estate is projected to flood 26 times a year due to rising sea levels.

They were found in a hotel room Monday morning.

A man and a woman were found dead at a New Jersey motel Monday morning in an apparent murder-suicide.

The Bergen County Prosecutor's Office said the bodies were found Monday just after 8:30 a.m. at the Knights Inn in South Hackensack. 

Paterson police were investigating an incident at the motel on Route 46 when they approached a room, announced themselves as police and heard shots fired, prosecutors said. 

When the officers entered the room, they discovered two bodies inside the room. 

It's not clear why the Paterson police were in South Hackensack.

The identities of the two dead people has not yet been released to the public. 

By late Monday morning, investigators had blocked off much of the motel's parking lot with caution tape as they huddled in one of the rooms. 

One person spending the night, who didn't want to give his name, said he didn't hear anything Sunday night and awoke at 9:30 a.m. to cops scouring the hotel grounds.

The investigation is ongoing.

Staff writer Alex Napoliello contributed to this post. 

It is just the latest national recognition for the famous North Jersey burger joint.

New Jersey is home to the 13th best burger in the entire country, according to a recent ranking of the top 101 burgers in the U.S.

Food website The Daily Meal for the second year determined who does burgers best. What should come as no surprise to any New Jerseyan is that White Manna's sliders can go toe-to-toe with any other burger in the country.

After being ranked as the 26th best burger in the country last year, the Hackensack staple jumped 13 spots on this year's list.

"A North Jersey legend, White Manna is one of the last remaining diner-style burger joints that arose in the tradition of White Castle," the website wrote. "What's served here is the perfect interpretation of that form, honed over decades and decades, unchanging.

Like any national website that writes about White Manna, the blurb under the ranking gushes about the atmosphere and process of the restaurant, which has been mastering its greasy burgers since 1946.

"Walk up to the tiny counter, place your order with the grillman, and watch as he smashes a small wad of meat onto the flattop with a handful of thin-sliced onions, keeps careful track of it as it cooks, and sandwiches it into a Martin's potato roll," the website continued. "Make it a double with cheese, and the burger that will end up on your plate next to some pickle chips won't be pretty, but it's astonishingly delicious."

NJ Advance Media food connoisseur Pete Genovese has agreed for years with the high praise, naming it the best burger in Bergen County last spring.

Finding the 101 best burgers in the entire country is a daunting task, but to do so, the Daily Meal assembled a list of 300 burgers across the country and then asked a "panel of noted writers, journalists, bloggers, and culinary authorities" to vote for their favorites.

White Manna's sliders were the only New Jersey burger, but there were a variety of burgers highlighted from our neighbors in New York City and Philadelphia.

Joe Atmonavage may be reached at jatmonavage@njadvancemedia.com. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

The song makes Cardi the first female rapper to have two songs go to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Both her other hit track, 'Bodak Yellow,' and 'I Like It' are included in her debut album, 'Invasion of Privacy,' which also entered the Billboard 200 at No. 1.

Cardi B has reached another milestone in her career with her latest No. 1 song, "I Like It." 

Billboard reports that Cardi has made history by becoming the first female rapper to see two songs hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.

"I Like It," which has spent 12 weeks on the chart, features Puerto Rican trap singer Bad Bunny and Colombian reggaeton singer J Balvin. A large portion of the song is recorded in Spanish.

"NUMBER (expletive) 1," Cardi tweeted Monday afternoon. "Billboard Hot 100!" 

"I slept on this record because, you know, two verses on this song, J Balvin and Bad Bunny's part, is in Spanish and I figured not all my fans know Spanish," she said in a video, thanking fans for their support.

The hook of the rapper's hit song has some history. "I Like It" samples the 1967 song "I Like it Like That" by Pete Rodriguez, which was also the name of a 1994 movie associated with a cover song of the same name by the Blackout Allstars, which was in turn boosted by a 1996 Burger King commercial.

In April, Cardi's debut album, "Invasion of Privacy," also debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200.

Cardi, 25, a Bronx native born Belcalis Almanzar, has a home in Edgewater.

She also made history with her first No. 1 song, "Bodak Yellow (Money Moves)," another track included on "Invasion of Privacy" and the one that made the former cast member on "Love & Hip Hop: New York" a star. 

As the song spent three weeks atop the chart in October 2017, she became the first solo female rapper since Lauryn Hill in 1998 ("Doo Wop (That Thing)") to reach the top spot. 

Female rappers who previously hit No. 1 as solo artists, featured artists, or part of a group of artists include Hill, Lil' Kim ("Lady Marmalade"), Shawnna ("Stand Up" by Ludacris) and Iggy Azalea ("Fancy").

In late June, Cardi revealed she secretly got married to her fiance Offset, of the group Migos, last September, a month before his public proposal. The couple is expecting a baby girl this month. After a period of speculation during which she wore stomach-concealing outfits, Cardi confirmed her pregnancy during a performance on "Saturday Night Live" in April. 

The agreement that was ironed out on July 2 still has to be approved by the Attorney General's Office, the Department of Environmental Protection and the Mahwah Council. The terms were not made public.

A settlement may be near in a civil rights lawsuit filed by the New Jersey Attorney General's Office against Mahwah claiming the township approved two ordinances aimed at keeping Orthodox Jews from New York State out of its parks. 

A framework for a settlement was established Monday during a conference in federal court. The sides have until July 13 to agree to it -- or else the case will move toward trial.

The agreement ironed out Monday afternoon still has to be approved by the attorney general's office, the Department of Environmental Protection and the Mahwah Township Council. The terms were not made public. 

An attorney for the township council, Eric Harrison, said he expects the governing body will hold a special meeting next week.

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"I'm not at liberty to share what that frameworks is," Harrison said. "I can tell you attorneys involved are cautiously optimistic we'll be able to settle the case." 

A spokesperson for the attorney general's office could not be reached immediately for comment.

Mayor Bill Laforet, who has blamed a recall effort against him on the stance he took against the council on an ordinance that banned non-residents from using public parks, said he is optimistic about the proposed settlement.

"I'm encouraged by the fact that a federal judge today granted the council until July 13 to consider a settlement rather than go through a full-blown trial for the civil rights violations," Laforet said.

The whole issue, Laforet said, has cost the town "close to a half a million dollars" so far. That figure, he said, includes the settlement of a federal lawsuit in January reached with the Bergen Rockland Eruv Association after the group was forced to remove lechis from utility poles after an amendment to the the township's sign ordinance was passed. The eruvs, plastic piping on utility poles that act as a religious boundary, were no longer allowed under the amendment.

Council President Rob Hermansen, a political rival of the mayor's, said it was Laforet who pushed for the ordinance restricting use of parks because the mayor had been receiving complaints about out-of-towners using parks.

"He told us it was the most important ordinance of the year," Hermansen said, describing a call from Laforet about introducing the ordinance. "There was a group from Suffern coming in to use the soccer fields and an organization that paid to use them could not get on the fields."

Residents had also raised funds to refurbish Winter's Park and then couldn't get use of the playground equipment because the children of people who had New York license plates were using the equipment, Hermansen said.

"The reason why we started looking into what to do with our fields was to make sure the people who should have access to them first did," Hermansen said. "Then it morphed into whatever else."

Hermansen said the council and its attorneys are working "diligently toward a settlement that's in the best interest of the residents of the town."

The lawsuit, filed in October 2017 by then-Attorney General Christopher S. Porrino, claimed in an effort to keep Orthodox Jews from New York State out of township parks, the Mahwah Council approved the two discriminatory ordinances -- one that banned out-of-state residents from using Mahwah parks and the other that amended a sign ordinance to ban the plastic lechis. 

The sign ordinance change was permanently tabled by the council. And the township council changed the parks ordinance, which was never enforced, to allow for out-of-state visitors after the lawsuit was filed.

The scathing nine-count lawsuit filed by the attorney general's office called the town's policies "hateful" and accused Mahwah of bigotry comparable to the "1950s-era white flight suburbanites who sought to keep African Americans from moving into their neighborhoods."

The state sought more than $3.4 million it claims Mahwah received and used in state Department of Environmental Protection Green Acres grants to purchase and maintain its parks.

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