Here's the stories you'll be talking about on the New Jersey 101.5 Morning Show on Thursday:

Well, that sure escalated quickly.

Those of you who did not tune into last night's final gubernatorial debate weren't missing much more than a rehash of talking points, until it wasn't.

The bombshell allegation that linked Republican Jack Ciattarelli to tens of thousands of opioid deaths took a snoozer of a debate into a bare-knuckled brawl.

Mikie Sherrill's bomb had Ciattarelli visibly angry and rattled him for the remainder of the face-off.

“You’re trying to divert from the fact you killed tens of thousands of people by printing your misinformation, your propaganda,” Sherrill charged. The connection to opioid manufacturers surfaced during Ciattarelli’s last bid for governor four years ago, but hadn't been brought up in this contest.

Here is an excerpt from the NJ.com article published in 2021:

Among the pieces published included a number that focused on pain management — some that appeared to downplay the dangers of opioids.

In one, an author noted: “Misuse or diversion of pain relievers is a significant problem, especially among adolescents and young adults. Concerns about opioid dependence, addiction, or non-medical use often create barriers to effective pain management.” But he continued: “The risk of opioid misuse is low among patients with chronic pain who do not have preexisting substance use disorders.” - From NJ.com article published in 2021

That an old allegation was made in the closing weeks of the campaign is not new, but what was striking was the total lack of preparation by Ciattarelli to have an effective response.

As he stood fuming, the only retort he could manage was, "At least I got to walk at my (college) graduation."

It was Mikie's "Shame on you" moment. She made the most of it. Jack was caught flat footed and ill-prepared. That, folks, may be the election.

Keep scrolling to read more about the debate and the rest of today's top stories.

⬛ NJ rescue team springs into action after boat sinks in bay

🔴 Man rescued after his boat sinks off the coast of Cumberland County.
🔴 He was alone in the water for almost an hour.
🔴 It's the second rescue near False Egg Island in less than a month.

DOWNE — A South Jersey dive team saved the life of a man whose boat sank in the Delaware Bay earlier this week.

The Downe Township dive team said it got a distress call around 6:22 p.m. Monday.

A 20-foot boat was sinking off the coast of Cumberland County near False Egg Island.

As Marine 39 rescue left the dock, they found out the boater had left the sinking boat behind and was trying to swim to shore.

The swimmer was in the water for nearly an hour and was cold before he was pulled from the water by two rescue swimmers.

⬛ NJ faces over 2,400 announced layoffs in key sectors this fall

⚠️ More than 2,400 layoffs hit New Jersey in just over a month
💊 Major NJ pharma giants slash hundreds of jobs in workforce cuts
🍗 'Red Bull' Arena food workers among nearly 500 listed layoffs

Anyone hoping that the biggest upheavals for New Jersey unemployment were done for the year, might not be ready for some recent layoffs.

Between all of September and the first week of October, New Jersey saw 2,422 new layoffs announced, through the state “Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act.”

⬛ Police hunt South Jersey ‘dock bandits’ after marina theft spree

🎣 Fishing gear heist: South Jersey marinas hit in months-long theft spree
🚔 Police on the hunt: State Police release surveillance video of suspects
📞 Public urged to help: Authorities ask anyone with info to come forward

Multiple South Jersey marinas were the victims of a four-month-long fishing equipment heist, and now police need help in identifying the suspects allegedly involved.

The unknown suspects were captured on surveillance videos stealing fishing equipment from boats docked at six different marinas throughout South Jersey between May 5 and September 22, 2025, then running away, according to New Jersey State Police.

⬛ Matt Platkin under fire after Edna Mahan prison case implodes

🔴 14 Edna Mahan corrections officers avoid trial in 2021 inmate beating scandal.
🔴 Judge says “prosecutorial mismanagement” violated officers’ right to a speedy trial.
🔴 Critics blame Attorney General Matt Platkin for denying justice to beaten inmates.

UNION TOWNSHIP (Hunterdon) — After four years of legal limbo, a Superior Court judge has dismissed charges against corrections officers accused of vicious inmate beatings at the only women's prison in New Jersey.

The tossed indictments against 14 prison guards stemmed from "forced cell extractions" on Jan. 11, 2021, at the embattled Edna Mahan Correctional Facility for Women.

That night shift of terror prompted Gov. Murphy's decision later that year to close the facility in Union Township. Former corrections commissioner Marcus Hicks was also dropped from the governor's administration due to the scandal.

But now, there won't be any trials for the officers accused of participating in at least two inmate beatings, which were partially caught on video.

⬛ Debate gets ugly: Sherrill accuses Ciattarelli of opioid deaths

💥 Mikie Sherrill shocks N.J. governor debate by accusing Jack Ciattarelli of profiting from opioids that “killed tens of thousands.”
⚡ Ciattarelli fires back, mocking Sherrill’s military record amid fiery onstage clash.
🗳️ The heated showdown comes weeks before Election Day as voters already cast early ballots.

NEW BRUNSWICK — The gloves came off Wednesday night when Democrat Mikie Sherrill stunned the New Jersey governor’s debate stage by saying Republican Jack Ciattarelli “killed tens of thousands of people” by helping fuel the opioid crisis.

The shocking charge turned the second and final debate, which largely had been rehashing the candidate's favorite talking points, into an ugly bare-knuckled brawl.

���You’re trying to divert from the fact you killed tens of thousands of people by printing your misinformation, your propaganda,” Sherrill charged. The connection to opioid manufacturers surfaced during Ciattarelli’s last bid for governor four years ago. NJ.com reported that a medical publishing company Ciattarelli owned received more than $12 million in grants, mostly from pharmaceutical companies, to publish content promoting the use of opioids as a low-risk treatment for chronic pain. Ciattarelli sold the company in 2017.

Ciattarelli, visibly angered, shot back by mocking Sherrill’s own military record controversy, sneering, “At least I got to walk at my college graduation.”

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You can reach him at eric.scott@townsquaremedia.com

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