The Office of the State Comptroller has launched a wide-ranging investigation into an embattled charter school empire, serving the network with a subpoena for virtually all financial, budgetary and operational documents dating to 2019, NJ Advance Media has learned.

The subpoena from the comptroller was issued Nov. 15 to College Achieve Public Schools, a public charter school network that has been the subject of a multi-pronged NJ Advance Media investigation that uncovered widespread allegations of financial and ethical abuses and mismanagement of taxpayer funding across the burgeoning empire.

The state comptroller — an independent state agency tasked with bringing greater efficiency and transparency to all levels of New Jersey government — cited its authority to “investigate complaints concerning alleged fraud, waste, abuse or mismanagement of state funds” in the subpoena, obtained by NJ Advance Media.

The subpoena requested a stunning breadth of documents from College Achieve, including lease agreements, mortgage and loan documents, vendor contracts, expenditure and income data over the past five years, investment activity, employee contracts, COVID-19 aid applications and board meeting minutes from executive session, among other files.

College Achieve Public Schools, known as CAPS, has filed several countermotions seeking to quash the subpoena. CAPS called the outreach from the comptroller “an egregious overreach of agency power and an unreasonable and oppressive document subpoena,” according to a filing.

Naush Boghossian, a public relations specialist representing CAPS, declined to discuss the proceedings Tuesday, saying the network is “unable to comment on ongoing legal matters.”

The comptroller also declined comment when reached by NJ Advance Media Tuesday.

CAPS became the focus of a series of NJ Advance Media investigations when the news organization uncovered the network’s founder and CEO Michael Piscal was making $795,515 in total compensation, according to tax forms filed by the organization in 2024, making him the highest paid education official in New Jersey by far. Executive directors of College Achieve schools in Paterson and Asbury Park/Neptune made $515,674 and $460,515, respectively, in total compensation — salaries that are significantly higher than other top school officials in New Jersey.

A subsequent NJ Advance Media investigation discovered that the former husband-and-wife team that ran the network’s institution in Asbury Park and Neptune used a family-owned business to produce thousands of dollars of school apparel at taxpayer expense and in direct violation of New Jersey school ethics laws.

The officials, Jodi and Tim McInerney, who served as executive director and principal of College Achieve Asbury Park, also employed Jodi McInerney’s mother, Maryellen Murphy, as an interventionist, and two of the McInerney’s adult children received money from the network in the past year, according to state financial disclosure filings.

CAPS, like other public charter schools in New Jersey, receives most of its funding directly from the school districts that send children to the school. The network currently operates 11 schools in five cities or townships across the state, serving nearly 3,500 students.

In seeking to quash the subpoena from the comptroller, CAPS attorneys argued in counter motions that by serving as a Charter Management Organization overseeing schools in its network, CAPS “is not a charter school. CAPS Inc. is a private entity that operates as a non-profit corporation, and is not a contractor of the State of New Jersey.”

But in a subsequent brief filed by the state in opposition of the quash request and prepared by assistant Attorney General Stephanie Mignogna, the state reiterated the comptroller “has oversight responsibility for the expenditure of public funds and the effectiveness of those expenditures...”

The brief also noted, “Frustratingly, CAPS brandishes its significant role in contributing to the education of New Jersey public school students and its core mission to enhance educational outcomes for students, while simultaneously attempting to distance itself from the oversight of public agencies and public funds that is at the core of OSC’s mission by claiming that it is a private entity not subject to oversight.”

The next meeting to discuss the case is scheduled for March 6 in Monmouth County Superior Court.

The latest development comes on the heels of NJ Advance Media’s reporting on the inner workings of CAPS, in particular its institution in Asbury Park and Neptune. After the reports, CAPS fired the McInerneys, slashed the salaries of its top officials and hired an outside law firm to launch an independent investigation in July. The results of that investigation have yet to be made public.

In response to NJ Advance Media’s reporting on CAPS and other charter schools across the state, the state Senate Education Committee held hearings in December that are expected to result in lawmakers updating or overhauling the state’s nearly 30-year-old Charter School Program Act of 1995.

A draft of the bill is expected to be produced this month, according to State Sen. Vin Gopal, D-Monmouth, who chairs the Senate Education Committee.

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Matthew Stanmyre may be reached at mstanmyre@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on X @MattStanmyre. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

NEPTUNE -- Last week the Asbury Park Press reported on two dozen dead geese in Allentown. Since then, the press has learned of two more locations that wild birds have been found dead: along the Shark River in Neptune and also along the beach in Lavallette.

Fear of bird flu has caused officials to have a number of the wild fowl tested for the H5N1 strain of the avian flu, but no results have come back yet.

After a report of dead birds on the Shark River, the Asbury Park Press went there on Tuesday and observed three deceased swans and two dead geese. Gina LaPlaca, Neptune's business administrator, said the township's Office of Emergency Management is handling the response. It's unclear how many wild fowl have been found dead on the river.

The birds been found in the Shark River Hills section of the river. The OEM said the town doesn't pick up the birds, instead the state Department of Environmental Protection sends out Fish & Wildlife staff to pick up the birds for testing and/or disposal. The NJDEP sends the test results to Monmouth County Health officials.

Allentown's Mayor Thomas Fritts said the his town has not gotten back the results of the autopsies on the geese picked up from three of their parks. Fritts said he was told by state officials it would take a couple of weeks to get answers. In the meantime, last week the town closed two parks and a portion of a third for public safety.

At Lavallette, beachgoers have observed several dead sea gulls. Jennie Weeks, owner of the Happy Belly health foods store in town, said she's seen about seven or eight dead sea gulls during her daily walks over the last three weeks. The Asbury Park Press observed four dead sea gulls on Tuesday.

"Let's get to the bottom of this. Why is it happening and what can we do to address it?" said Janet Tauro, board chair for Clean Water Action NJ, a national nonprofit with chapters across the country, including New Jersey, that advocates for clean water.

Tauro said they have concerns of the virus getting into the water supply. They are also concerned about the safety of pets contracting the bird flu while on walks to the park or by streams that have wild water fowl.

While the bird flu is more common in fowl and dairy cows, it has also infected some mammals, including but not limited to stray or domestic animals such as cats and dogs.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC, has been monitoring an outbreak of the bird flu that so far has seen over 157 million cases in domestic poultry 968 in dairy cows since it was detected in 2022. In the current outbreak, the virus in cows was first detected on March 24, 2024. Just under 12,000 cases of bird flu have been detected in wild birds, including 93 cases in New Jersey.

However, as of Feb. 14, there has been no H5N1 detected in New Jersey's domestic poultry or cattle, according to the state. There are also no reported cases of human infection of H5N1 in New Jersey.

Both the CDC and the state of New Jersey said the current public health risk is low. There have been 68 cases, including one death, reported in humans since April 1, 2024. Most of those cases, 36, came from dairy farms in California. The one death occurred Jan. 6 of this year in Louisiana.

According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, tips for preventing bird flu infection in dogs and cats are the same as for many other infectious diseases:

When Jersey Shore native Dan Radel is not reporting the news, you can find him in a college classroom where he is a history professor. Reach him @danielradelapp; dradel@gannettnj.com.

Specializing in often difficult and unique engineering hurdles, the Neptune-based business has constructed zoos, skateparks, community centers, and is currently building two of New Jersey’s most anticipated public facilities, the Rushmore Aquatic Center in Plainfield, and the Monte Irvin Orange Community Center in Orange, both set to debut this coming spring

Tsivicos Enterprises is making waves in the NJ public works contracting sector. After having completed two of the state's most notable community centers, the Westside Park Community Center and the infamous Cherry Blossom Welcome Center, the firm is continuing to cement its name as one of the state’s leading government contractors. Coming off strong from the much anticipated opening of Branch Brook Park’s flagship welcome center in December of 2024, Tsivicos has been awarded two more large-scale community based public projects in Plainfield and Orange.

At the helm of the company behind it all is Haralambos Tsivicos, born in Long Branch, NJ and raised on the Jersey Shore. He has made it his life’s work to help the state's public servants mould their vision for our communities. After studying at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and graduating from Rutgers University with a degree in engineering, he began to build the firm into the powerhouse that it is today.

The company has a track record of tackling unique projects with challenging design parameters. Projects requiring a deep engineering focus, especially expertise in aquatic construction are some of Tsivicos’ most glowing references. Tsivicos installed a new life support system for the Sea Lion Exhibit at the Turtle Back Zoo in West Orange, just one of several projects he completed at the popular Essex County Zoo. He also was critical in the completion of a much needed overhaul to the animal health ward at the NY Aquarium in Coney Island. Having constructed new aquatic facilities in Ewing, West Orange, Verona, West Milford, Newton, and his hometown of Ocean Township to name a few. All of this springboarded into what will be one of New Jersey’s most magnificent Aquatic Centers, the Rushmore Aquatic Complex on W 3rd Street in the City of Plainfield. With a contract awarded of almost $7M to Tsivicos Enterprises, the completed facility will host visitors from not only Plainfield, but from around the state.

Mr. Tsivicos came up in Asbury Park, where as a kid, he developed a passion for BMX and skateboarding. Years later, he continued to pursue his passion building one of New Jersey’s premier skateparks, a project he is particularly proud of–the Madison Ave Skate Park, in Plainfield NJ. “Awesome park amazing cement work done. (sic)” writes one local guide user on Google reviews. Ron Deily, a professional skateboarder based in Jersey City who attended the park’s grand opening remarked at the time, “You can tell a skateboarder did the work." The personal touch of work one believes in comes through, even with large-scale public works. Little did Tsivicos know that the Madison Avenue Skatepark, that he built for the City of Plainfield back in 2017, would lay the groundwork for a relationship that would culminate with completing one of City’s keynote initiatives over the last decade: the Rushmore Aquatic Complex.

Seven years later, Tsivicos Enterprises is back in Plainfield once again, where construction crews are about halfway done with the Rushmore Aquatic Center. The roof of the new community building has finally popped its head up as it towers over the facilities construction fence. With the groundbreaking taking place last Spring, the project is progressing at light speed. The structure for the new 4,500 SF competition swimming pool was completed in the fall and the structure of the new building is already complete. The city secured nearly $7 million to build the state-of-the-art aquatic facility, sparing no expense in any component of its construction. Rushmore will feature a 4,500 sq. ft. competition-sized pool, abutted by a cutting edge community center designed by Think Wilder Architects, based in Newark. On the other side of this 2,300 sq. ft. building is the 12,000 sq. ft. spray park, one of the largest public spray parks the state has ever seen.

Mayor Mapp has advocated for the Rushmore Aquatic Center over the course of several years, working with the City Council and treating it as a priority project. Tsivicos Enterprises’ nuanced experience in creating large aquatic facilities fit the needs of the Rushmore project like a glove, resulting in cutting-edge facilities that will serve the community for generations to come. Remington Vernick Engineers of Cherry Hill was awarded the overall design contract for the entire facility, giving it a fresh, future-forward design. Enlisting the help of Think Wilder Architects to ensure the facilities futuristic aquatic themed aesthetic would leave an impact on the community.

As he reflects on the impact this project will have on the surrounding communities, Mr. Tsivicos remarks “Building facilities like this, that will serve the community for decades to come, is a legacy I am extremely proud of.” With the grand opening slated for late spring, the new and improved Rushmore Aquatic Complex is a destination worthy of a journey. There is no question this new facility will shine bright as one of the most extravagant Aquatic Complex’s New Jersey has ever seen.

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Bojangles, the beloved Southern-based fried chicken chain, is gearing up to open in New Jersey.

The franchise’s expansion into New Jersey is set to commence in Neptune. It will be located at Market Place at Neptune just off of Route 35, according to Asbury Park Press.

Bojangles will join brands like Aldi, QuickChek and Smoothie King in the complex located just a few miles from Asbury Park.

The 2,895-square-foot Monmouth County restaurant will feature a drive-thru. No opening date or timetable for construction has been to be announced.

Locations are also slated to open in Piscataway, Marlboro and Vineland as well, though further details haven’t been announced.

Bojangles originally announced plans to open 10 New Jersey outposts across Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Middlesex and Union counties in 2022 as the North Carolina-based company aims to expand throughout Northeast. A previous location operated in Newark but closed years ago.

The popular chain has been serving cajun-seasoned fried chicken, buttermilk biscuits and sweet tea since its inception in 1977. The Bojangles menu features fried chicken, chicken tenders, sandwiches, breakfast biscuits, salads and more.

Bojangles currently operates more than 800 locations throughout 20 states.

Editor’s note: This story has been updated to reflect that Bojangles previously operated a location in Newark, which is now closed.

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Christopher Burch can be reached at cburch@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter: @SwishBurch. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us at nj.com/tips/.