Dangerous dengue fever reaches New Jersey

Here are the top New Jersey news stories for Wednesday:

⬛ These major Democratic leaders from NJ say Biden should drop out

President Joe Biden at the CNN debate. (AP Photo/Canva/Townsquare Media illustration)

A high-profile Democratic lawmaker from New Jersey has joined a growing chorus calling for her party's incumbent to step aside with the election just months away.

U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill, D-N.J. 11th District, became the first member of Congress from the Garden State and the seventh in the nation to say that President Joe Biden should end his reelection campaign in favor of another Democratic candidate.

In doing so, she has joined a small but growing group of Democrats nationally who have publicly voiced their desire for the 81-year-old Biden to exit the presidential race in the wake of his poor performance in CNN’s debate last month.

⬛ Largest NJ wildfire of 2024 fueled by heatwaves, flash droughts

Tea Time Hill wildfire (NJ Department of Environmental Protection)

TABERNACLE — As fire crews wrap up their battle against New Jersey's largest wildfire of the year, officials worry that conditions could ripen for another one around the corner.

The Tea Time Hill wildfire burned through 4,300 acres of Wharton State Forest in Burlington County in four days. It was 90% contained as of Monday evening, according to the state Forest Fire Service.

Officials said that fireworks set off on the night of July 4 sparked the massive blaze. But it was dry conditions brought on by recent heatwaves that allowed it to spread into the largest wildfire of 2024, according to Assistant State Fire Warden Shawn Judy.

⬛ SUV rolls over South Brunswick man during domestic dispute

SUV after rolling over a man in South Brunswick 7/8/24 (South Brunswick police)

SOUTH BRUNSWICK — A man was injured when an SUV rolled over him during a domestic dispute on Monday morning.

Township police said the 46-year-old man pounded the hood of his 37-year-old girlfriend’s SUV and sat down in front of it in a driveway on Harvey Road around 7:30 a.m. She was trying to leave with several children.

When the woman got out of the car, which was left in drive, to urge him to move the car, it rolled over him. He was taken to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital.

The man suffered a broken hip, three broken ribs and a head injury, according to police. The identities of the man and woman were not disclosed.

⬛ CDC warning for NJ: Record number of virus cases

Aedes albopictus mosquito (CDC), map showing cases in NJ (NJ Department of Health)

The CDC issued a warning about record increases in cases of dengue virus infections across the world including 42 in New Jersey in people who contracted it while traveling.

Dengue (pronounced DEHN'-gay) is a virus spread through mosquito bites. The number of cases worldwide in 2024 is at a record level of 9.7 million, twice as many cases as in all of 2023.

Those who are infected don’t get sick but some experience headache, fever and flu-like symptoms like nausea and vomiting which usually last up to a week. Severe cases can involve cause serious bleeding, shock and death.

⬛ NJ judge accused of embracing porn stars and drunk party fouls

(Richard Obuch/Google Maps/Canva)

ELIZABETH — The state judicial conduct advisory committee has accused a municipal judge of inappropriately touching three women after getting drunk on hard liquor at an annual holiday party.

Richard Obuch, private attorney and a municipal judge in Elizabeth since 2002, was asked to leave the Dec. 14, 2023 party for his embarrassing behavior, according to a complaint filed last week.

The complaint also said that Obuch posted pictures with porn stars and made comments about women's bodies on his social media pages; he failed to remove the posts even after the advisory committee told him to do so.