Body slammed over beach badge? What happened in Belmar? NJ Top News

Here are the top New Jersey news stories for Thursday:

⬛ Traffic relief in Middlesex County — new lanes open along Route 1

A project designed to reduce traffic along Route 1 in Middlesex County and make your commute a bit smoother is getting underway.

The New Jersey Department of Transportation is extending the length of the highway on which drivers can use the shoulder as a travel lane, at least temporarily.

Starting Thursday morning, northbound and southbound vehicles can use the shoulder as a lane during peak travel times between CR 522/Promenade Boulevard/Stouts Lane in South Brunswick and Thomas Avenue in North Brunswick. That's a stretch of 4.5 miles.

⬛ Free speech in NJ — Rutgers requires permits for expression

Rutgers University is taking steps to better handle potential student campus protests this fall.

A pro-Palestinian encampment on the Voorhees Mall came to an end in early May when the leaders of Students for Justice in Palestine reached an agreement with Rutgers on many of their demands. One of the demands not met was to divest the university from Israel.

The school was later criticized for "caving in" to anti-Semitic troublemakers and not ensuring the safety of all students.

Rutgers President Jonathan Holloway was summoned to a congressional hearing where he defended how the school handled the protest. Four students were suspended at Rutgers but no arrests were made, Holloway said.

⬛ Prison for NJ man who ripped off grieving military families

TRENTON — A Monmouth County U.S. Army Reserves major has been sentenced for ripping off at least two dozen grieving Gold Star families for a few million dollars collectively.

Caz Craffy, 42, of Colts Neck, would serve 12 1/2 years in federal prison for making risky investments while working as an Army financial counselor, U.S. Attorney Philip Sellinger said.

In April, Craffy, who has also gone by the name Carz Craffey, pleaded guilty in federal court to six counts of wire fraud.

He also pleaded guilty to securities fraud, making false statements in a loan application, committing acts furthering a personal financial interest and making false statements to a federal agency.

⬛ Huge warehouse proposed near Monroe, NJ homes gets major pushback

MONROE (Middlesex) — Warehouse sprawl in New Jersey has again come up against angry locals who don't want it in their backyard.

The 176,085-square-foot warehouse proposed for Monroe also includes 9,000 square feet of office space. Federal Business Centers, Inc., based in Edison, submitted the plans.

It would be built along North Disbrow Hill Road near Butcher Road and include 21 truck loading docks, according to plans shared on the township website.

The area is located next to single-family homes and across the street from the Monroe Place residential development on Butcher Road.

⬛ California surfer learns the hard way about NJ beach badges

BELMAR — Video has gone viral showing a surfer face down in the sand as he was arrested at a Jersey Shore beach on Tuesday.

The video opens with several Belmar police officers restraining a man in a wetsuit with handcuffs and a woman asking police why he is being arrested. There is no context as to what happened before the video started.

"I have my badge right there," the man tells police who continue to restrain him and the woman curses at the officers.

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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