Don’t cash that check! More problems with ANCHOR rebates — NJ Top News

Here are the top New Jersey news stories for Tuesday:

⬛ Local state of emergency in NJ as wildfire danger could worsen

Wildfire dangers continue to worsen in New Jersey with at least six major fires this week, including one that killed a high school senior just over the border in New York.

The Jennings Creek Wildfire in West Milford is 10% contained after burning over 3,000 acres in New Jersey and New York State as of Monday morning, according to the N.J. Forest Fire Service.

Two residential structures are threatened in New Jersey with another eight structures in the Long Pond Ironworks Historic District state park in danger.

⬛ The Rock stuns shoppers at NJ Target

Dwayne “the Rock” Johnson made a trip to a local New Jersey target store, delighting shoppers over the weekend.

Johnson has been on a press tour, with two big movies hitting theaters this month.

The beloved actor announced his team had gifts to hand out while taking photos and greeting the crowd at the Clifton store.

⬛ NJ road deaths on pace to top last year, and drivers are to blame

New Jersey is on pace in 2024 to easily surpass the number of road fatalities recorded in 2023.

As of Monday, 581 people had lost their lives on New Jersey's roads, as a result of 550 fatal crashes, according to New Jersey State Police data.

On the same date last year, the fatality count was 508, as a result of 481 fatal collisions.

"We need to remember that these are not numbers, these are people," said Tracy Noble, spokesperson for AAA Mid-Atlantic. "We need to have less people dying unnecessarily on our roadways."

⬛ Cops follow 2-hour cell ping, find NJ teen dead in horrific crash

A 19-year-old from New Jersey died in a horrific crash on Route 78 in Pennsylvania early Monday morning.

Pennsylvania State Police said they received a call about Ciarra Sanchez's cell phone sending a ping from the same location for about two hours.

When troopers went to the origin of the ping, they found her vehicle at 1:40 a.m. about 100 feet off the highway after crashing into a concrete overpass support in Upper Saucon Township.

⬛ New problem with NJ tax rebate: Don't deposit that ANCHOR check!

There's another hiccup affecting New Jersey residents as the state attempts to distribute property tax relief payments to every household that deserves one.

Now some New Jersey taxpayers are being told to return their ANCHOR check without depositing or cashing it.

The newest issue is being blamed on a "technical error."

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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