New Jersey's First News, hosted by Eric Scott, written and produced by Matthew White and Patrick Lavery. Full podcast available below. Digital support, with additional links, by Dan Alexander.

ALAN KASPER'S FORECAST:
TODAY:
Partly sunny. Chance of showers and thunderstorms. High: 90
TONIGHT:
Partly cloudy. Chance of showers and thunderstorms Low: 65-70
TOMORROW: Partly sunny. High: 85


A tree on top of a car in Lakewood following Tuesday night storm
A tree on top of a car in Lakewood following Tuesday night storm (The Lakewood Scoop)
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Storms Knock Out Power - Tens of thousands remain without power this morning after last nights wicked thunderstorms battered New Jersey.  And commuters will find fallen trees and power poles this morning adding to the hassle of their commute. Our mini-heat wave continues today with 90-degree temperatures, high humidity and the threat of more storms this afternoon.

"Justice for Genesis" - In Paterson, hundreds rally around the family of a murdered little girl and hope it is the catalyst to finally stop the violence. It's been four days since Genesis Rincon was killed by a stray bullet as she rode her scooter near her home. She was just the latest victim of a wave of violence spreading through the city. Meanwhile...her death has already saved lives. Her liver was donated to a four month old baby and her heart now beats in the chest of a 14-year old boy

Numbers Down - Governor Christie may be down, but he's not out. That's according to the latest Quinnipiac University poll which finds his favorability numbers have dropped slightly.

EZ Pass Scam - A warning this morning about a new email phishing scam and many have already fallen for it. It looks like an email from EZ Pass saying you have a toll violation but when you click the link it asks for information that can be used to steal your credit card information and identity.

EZ Pass "phishing" scam letter
EZ Pass "phishing" scam letter (Port Authority of NY/NJ)
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A Break at the Pump
- The Iraq scare seems to have subsided for the moment, as far as oil prices go. That means New Jersey drivers are likely to get a break.

Obama In Texas - President Barack Obama heads to Texas today, where he'll hold a meeting in Dallas to discuss the immigration crisis. In recent months, thousands of unaccompanied children, mostly from Central America, have been crossing the border illegally into the U.S. Republicans and some Democrats say Obama hasn't responded quickly and forcefully enough to the crisis.

Utility Shock - A 60,000 gallon water bill is raising some eyebrows in Perth Amboy. Especially when it's for the home of an 89-year old widow who lives alone. Claire Danielczyk says her bill is never more than $50 but the town is now demanding she pay over $700 plus interest even though they have inspected her plumbing and water meter and found no problems.

Showboat Casino Hotel in Atlantic City
Showboat Casino Hotel in Atlantic City (AP Photo/Wayne Parry)
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Saving Showboat - Over 2,000 Showboat employees are in fear of losing their jobs when the casino is expected to close for good in August. Employees are pushing for the casino to be sold to another operator before then. Caesars, Showboat's parent company said they would need a reasonable offer to sell.

Bears Expand their Presence - Like it or not, New Jersey's bear population is growing, and expanding into more parts of the state.

 

SCORES:


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