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Here are the top New Jersey news stories for Thursday:

⬛ Is NJ ready for the return of student loan payments?

It's likely been three and a half years since the last time you were forced to fork over a monthly payment for your student loans.

But the administrative forbearance prompted by the COVID-19 emergency will be gone in a matter of weeks.

Are you ready?

⬛ New Jersey's Best Employers

What do a tech company, a supermarket chain and an insurance company all have in common?

They landed in the top three spots on Forbes list of Best Employers in New Jersey

⬛ GOP candidates fight each other, back Trump, at first debate

The Republican presidential candidates vying to be the leading alternative to front-runner Donald Trump fought — sometimes bitterly — over abortion rights, U.S. support for Ukraine and the type of experience needed to manage an expansive federal government during the first debate of the 2024 campaign.

But when it came to arguably the most consequential choice facing the party, virtually everyone on the debate stage in Milwaukee on Wednesday night lined up behind Trump, who declined to participate, citing his commanding lead. Most said they would support Trump as their nominee even if he is convicted in a series of cases that range from his handling of classified documents to his efforts to overturn the 2020 election and his role in making hush money payments to a porn actress and other women.

⬛ NJ substitute teacher admits sex with student

WILLINGBORO — A former substitute teacher has been sentenced to five years in prison after she pled guilty to having a sexual relationship with a student.

Kameelah Kareem, 43, of Willingboro, admitted to the interaction with the 15-year-old male student on multiple occasions outside the school during the 2019-2020 school year while she was a substitute at the Alternative School at Bookbinder in Willingboro, according to Burlington County LaChia L. Bradshaw.

⬛ Free tampons at school! Murphy declares war on 'period poverty'

New Jersey school districts must provide menstrual products free of charge in every public school teaching students in one or more of grades 6 to 12, under a bill that Gov. Phil Murphy signed into law.

Under the new law, applicable New Jersey schools will be required to provide menstrual products in at least half of all their female and gender-neutral bathrooms.

Start your day with up-to-the-minute news, traffic and weather for the Garden State.

New Jersey's First News with Eric Scott is the longest running news program in New Jersey. Eric Scott began hosting the program in 1991.

It airs live on New Jersey 101.5 each weekday morning from 5:30 - 6 a.m.

New Jersey's First News with Eric Scott is the winner of the prestigious National Edward R. Murrow Award for Best Newscast.

Eric Scott is the senior political director and anchor for New Jersey 101.5. You can reach him at eric.scott@townsquaremedia.com

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