Gator on the loose — NJ Top News

Here are the top New Jersey news stories for Tuesday:

⬛ NJ cop shoots at loose alligator, park closes out of caution

ewastudio

MIDDLESEX BOROUGH — An alligator may still be alive after a cop tried to shoot the wanted reptile last week.

The Middlesex Borough police on Monday released more details about the violent encounter at Victor Crowell Park.

Cops were called to the park last Wednesday, Aug. 23 and tried to capture the reptile, police said. The alligator, which is estimated to be up to four feet long, got away.

⬛ New Jersey cancels popular rebate program

A company that ran a popular rebate program appears to no longer have operations in New Jersey.

As a result, the rebate program has been cancelled.

Officials say if you have a check in hand, do not cash it.

⬛ NJ senator: Rutgers leaders should resign over COVID vaccine rule

Sen. Declan O'Scanlon (Michael Symons/Townsquare Media NJ)

The State University of New Jersey is destroying its credibility heading into the 2023 academic year, according to a Republican state senator.

Rutgers University has dropped 22 students (out of more than 59,700) from classes for their failure to comply with the institution's COVID-19 vaccination requirement.

⬛ Mother of slain NJ councilwoman arrested for attacking defendant

NEW BRUNSWICK —Emotions ran high as the accused killer of Sayreville councilwoman Eunice Dwumfour pleaded not guilty to murder and weapons charges at a court hearing Monday

With her family in the courtroom in Middlesex County Superior Court, the attorney for Rashid Ali Bynum entered a not-guilty plea and said that the circumstantial evidence was not enough to hold his client in jail pending trial.

⬛ Shocking number of young kids in NJ keep eating marijuana edibles

fotogal/Townsquare Media photo illustration

Across the month of July alone, the New Jersey Poison Control Center assisted in 30 cases of kids aged 1 to 12 who had accidentally eaten edible forms of cannabis, according to figures released on Monday.

"Unfortunately, this is a pretty common occurrence, actually," said Diane Calello, executive and medical director of the Center.

Check out this house that sold for $900K in Union, NJ

It was the highest sale in about three years and roughly 180% above the median home sales price in the township as of July 2023. Here's a look at the four-bedroom, four-bathroom house.

Places in New Jersey where you can now carry a legal gun

New Jersey passed its own law in December, trying to ban legal guns from “sensitive places.”

A federal judge found many of those spots to be legally protected on grounds of armed self-defense, noting in her opinion, “Crowded locations are not sensitive places."

As of June, a federal appeals court granted the state attorney general's request to keep part of the law that bars people from carrying handguns in “sensitive places” in effect. The decision means handguns cannot be carried in places such as zoos, public parks, public libraries and museums, bars, and health care facilities. The law bars handguns from being carried in those places as well as schools and child care facilities. The lower court's May injunction did not specify those locations, and the appeals court also didn't remove the prohibition in those places.

Visiting the Twin Lights in Highlands, NJ: Photos

A virtual tour of the historic Twin Lights National Landmark. Please note that this particular tour was conducted in 2021 while COVID restrictions were still in place. Since then, all mask and COVID related restrictions have been lifted.

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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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