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

🔗  What's killing bald eagles in New Jersey again?

🚨 Bird flu killed half of tested bald eagles in New Jersey in 2025.
🚨 Nest numbers dropped after record highs, signaling a possible wider impact.
🚨 It took over 40 years to strengthen the eagle population in New Jersey.

Avian influenza is threatening to put bald eagles back on the endangered species list in New Jersey.

The troubling news comes just after the American avian was removed from the state's endangered species list last year. The Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, or bird flu, is largely responsible, according to new data from the state Department of Environmental Protection Fish & Wildlife Division and the Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey.

In 2025, bird flu was the cause of death for half of the 56 bald eagles tested by state officials. Vehicle impacts killed 13 bald eagles, undetermined trauma killed six, and two died from electrocution on power equipment, according to the latest New Jersey Bald Eagle Project report released on Thursday.

There was also a decline in the number of bald eagle nests in the state, likely due to bird flu. In 2024, staff found a record 264 active eagle nests in New Jersey. There was a 5% drop last year, when only 251 eagle nests that produced eggs were found.

Experts say that birds of prey, including eagles, are particularly vulnerable to the virus; it's transmitted when eagles consume other infected birds.

🔗  NJ day care teacher accused of violently hurting child

🚨 Day care worker in Bergen County accused of injuring a child
👶 Victim suffered “significant bodily injury,” prosecutors say
⚖️ Suspect charged, released pending further court action

A day care worker in Bergen County has been accused of violently hurting a child under her supervision.

Seunghee Nam of Englewood, was arrested on Monday after an investigation by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office and Palisades Park Police.

On Sunday, state child protection officials contacted the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victims Unit about the accused assault of a juvenile at a day care in Palisades Park.

Investigators said that 45-year-old Nam, a teacher at the center, hurt the child on Thursday, March 12, causing the victim “significant bodily injury.”

Police did not share any further details on the nature of the injury or age of the child.

They also did not disclose specifically where Nam worked.

Nam, a South Korean national, was charged with second-degree endangering the welfare of a child and third-degree aggravated assault.

🔗  NJ teacher accused of sex assaults in middle school classroom

🚨 Former NJ middle school teacher charged with sexual assault
📱 Investigation uncovered texts confirming alleged relationship
🏫 Incidents allegedly happened in classroom and vehicle

A former student revealed an inappropriate relationship with a teacher who had sex with the underage victim in a middle school classroom, officials said.

On Thursday, Ashley Fisler, of Washington Township, was arrested and charged with six counts of first-degree sexual assault of a minor, as well as second-degree counts of endangering the welfare of a child and official misconduct.

The 36-year-old Fisler taught social studies in the Washington Township school district for nine years from 2014 until June 2023, according to an online resume.

She is no longer a teacher anywhere, Gloucester County Prosecutor Andrew B. Johns said.

🔗  Route 33 closed in Hamilton amid large police presence

🚨Route 33 was shut down for nearly 17 hours
🚨Heavy police, SWAT, and emergency crews in Hamilton neighborhood
🚨Negotiations lasted for hours with a man with a rifle having a mental health crisis

HAMILTON (Mercer) — A large police presence closed a Mercer County highway for nearly 17 hours on Wednesday night and Thursday morning while police negotiated with a disturbed man armed with a rifle.

Hamilton Township police closed Route 33 between Route 295 and Nottingham Way around 5 p.m. Wednesday after a man barricaded himself inside a home in the 2500 block of Nottingham. The Hamilton Police Division SWAT Team and the Hamilton Police Division Crisis Negotiators began talks with the man.

Residents in the surrounding homes were evacuated as a precaution and to give negotiators space.

The man was taken into custody just after 11 a.m. Thursday and taken to a hospital for an evaluation. No residents or members of law enforcement were injured, according to police. Nottingham Way was closed for several more hours to allow for the completion of an investigation.

Police did not disclose the identity of the man, whether he would be charged with any crime, or if anyone else was inside the house.

🔗  Growing push for NJ to bring back its old license plates

🔵NJ may revive classic blue license plates from 1979–1991
🔵500 drivers must sign up and pay before plates become reality
🔵Critics say it’s 'fun legislation' that offers a break

The blue license plate could return to New Jersey roads.

The plate with the yellow letters on a light blue field was the official license plate of New Jersey between 1979 and 1991. State Sen. Kristin Corrado, R-Bergen/Essex/Passaic, has again introduced a bill to authorize the Motor Vehicle Commission to sell the throwback plates. The impetus behind the plate's return is nostalgia, especially from classic car collectors.

"That's the biggest attraction that especially my generation, those of us that started driving, it reminds us of when we first got our license, and how exciting it was to get that first car and have that blue plate on it," the 60-year-old lawmaker said.

Corrado introduced the legislation twice before. She thinks the third time could be the charm.

"There seems to be more of a momentum this time, especially when we reintroduced it and local news has picked it up. But we have residents who constantly check in and find out how it's going. So I believe that we're going to get it through," Corrado said.

Assuming that the bill is signed into law, there is one more hoop to jump through to make the blue plate's return a reality. Before the plates become widely available, 500 applicants will need to pay $50 (plus $10 a year thereafter).

Start your day with up-to-the-minute news, traffic and weather for the Garden State.

The New Jersey 101.5 Morning Show airs from 6 - 10 a.m. on New Jersey 101.5.

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

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