Murphy approves big toll hikes

Here are the top New Jersey news stories for Wednesday:

⬛ Cops: PA mom abandoned son to be with NJ boyfriend

Map shows locations of Pennsville, NJ and Manheim, PA (Canva/Google Maps)

PENNSVILLE — A mother who police say left her son alone in Pennsylvania to move to New Jersey to reportedly be with her boyfriend has been taken into custody.

Tiffani Chanel Bogroff, 45, moved nearly two hours away to Pennsville in December, Manheim Township, Pennsylvania police Sgt. Barry E. Waltz said.

⬛ Big changes coming to New Jersey driver’s licenses

Police officers would be able to scan your mobile device for proof of a valid license under a proposal moving through the New Jersey Legislature.
AAMVA.org

New Jersey is a step closer to doing away with physical driver's licenses and allowing residents to keep their credentials on their phones.

The Senate Transportation Committee advanced a measure (S1297) this week that directs the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission to create mobile driver's licenses.

⬛ NJ drug deaths down — 5 counties recorded a drop of at least 30%

Canva

According to preliminary figures from officials, New Jersey recorded a little more than 2,500 drug overdose deaths in 2023.

That's actually a promising number, when it's compared to prior years. And as of early 2024, the fatality count continues to trend downward.

⬛ Murphy to approve NJ Turnpike, Parkway toll hikes

Toll sign (NJ Turnpike Authority), Gov. Phil Murphy (Rich Hundley III/ Governors Office).

The second time is the charm for the New Jersey Turnpike Authority to get its 2024 toll hike.

The authority's Board of Commissioners first approved the toll hike in its $2.62 billion 2024 budget in October less than two weeks before Election Day. The plan included a scheduled 3% toll increase. The Turnpike Authority has adopted an indexing system that allows yearly increases up to 3% without public hearings.

⬛ Lawyer: NJ woman suffers 'searing' burns in McDonald's hot spill

McDonald's in Union City (Google Maps)

ROXBURY — A Kenvil woman is seeing a plastic surgeon after a hot spill at McDonald's left her legs scarred and discolored, according to her attorney.

A full cup of scalding tea spilled onto Stacey Crisman's legs at the McDonald's drive-thru on Route 10 in Roxbury, according to a lawsuit filed earlier this month in Morris County Superior Court.

⬛ British painting stolen by NJ mobsters is returned 54 years later

Siblings Tom Wood and Penelope Kulko assist Special Agent Gary France unveil a recovered painting to Dr. Francis Wood in Newark. (FBI via AP)

An 18th century British painting stolen by New Jersey mobsters in 1969 has been returned more than a half-century later to the family that bought it for $7,500 during the Great Depression, the FBI’s Salt Lake City field office announced Friday.

The 40-inch-by-50-inch John Opie painting — titled “The Schoolmistress” — is the sister painting of a similar work housed in the Tate Britain art gallery in London.