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

🔗 Princeton boy dies after tragic e-bike crash with car

🚨 A Princeton middle school student has died after a tragic e-bike crash with a car at a local intersection
💔 The victim was critically injured and later succumbed to his injuries
🏫 Crisis counseling is now available for students and staff as the community mourns

PRINCETON — Sad news out of Mercer County.

The juvenile who was rushed to a hospital in critical condition after the electric bicycle he was operating collided with a car in Princeton on Sunday afternoon has died of his injuries, police announced.

The boy was identified as Abraham Abed, a middle school student, who was riding his e-bike on Ewing Street on April 26, when he entered the intersection at Terhune Road, and struck a car.

The tragic death comes just weeks before Princeton University enacts a complete ban on all e-bikes and motorized scooters on its campus in the face of growing concern about their safety. New Jersey now has the strictest e-bike laws in the nation. Starting next year, an e-bike operator will have to be at least 17 years old with a valid driver's license or at least 15 years old with a motorized bicycle license.

🔗 NJ Dems seek $25 minimum wage for fast food workers and teens

💲 New Jersey Democrats want to raise the minimum wage to $25 an hour.
🍽️ The bill would end lower-tipped wages and apply to teens.
🗳️ The proposal faces a major fight in Congress.

A new push to raise the minimum wage to $25 an hour for all workers, with no exceptions, has the support of New Jersey Democrats.

The Living Wage for All Act is the first major piece of federal legislation introduced by U.S. Rep. Analilia Mejia, D-N.J., 11th District.

"This bill would transform millions of lives, ensuring working people earn a true living wage instead of being forced to choose between putting food on the table and taking care of their health. Americans deserve an economy that works for all, not just the billionaire class," Mejia said.

Mejia recently won an April 16 special election to fill the seat previously held by fellow Democrat Gov. Mikie Sherrill. U.S. Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman, D-N.J., 12th District, also showed her support for the bill in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday.

A worker who makes $25 an hour and works 40 hours a week will make $52,000 before taxes. The federal minimum wage has been $7.25 since 2009, though many states have their own wage floors. In New Jersey, the minimum wage is 15.92 per hour.

🔗 More than 600 face NJ layoffs as FreshRealm files for bankruptcy

⚠️ 637 workers in Linden could lose jobs as FreshRealm files for Chapter 11
📉 Company cites major supply disruption as reason for financial stresses
🏭 Latest in wave of NJ layoffs, including Bristol Myers Squibb and Novartis

LINDEN — In the state’s second-largest announcement this year so far, a Union County employer notified more than 600 workers of potential layoffs as it pursues bankruptcy protection.

FreshRealm in Linden filed for Chapter 11 proceedings, citing “a significant ingredient supply disruption in 2025” that was a serious blow to the company and its earnings.

According to the state Department of Labor WARN notice, 637 workers at the FreshRealm facility located at 901 W Linden Avenue in Linden could be out of a job by late June and late July, depending on how the court proceedings take shape.

The fresh foods platform has been working with meal kit companies, Blue Apron and Marley Spoon, as well as packing fresh meals-to-go for retailers like Walmart and Wonder.

Pending court approval, Blue Apron would be able to get out of its deal with FreshRealm and “transition its related operations to a new structure, where the business is expected to continue operating.”

🔗 NJ woman who saved orphaned deer dragged into town court battle

⚖️ NJ woman rescued and raised orphaned deer after finding its dead mother
⚖️ State law bans keeping deer as pets, sparking ongoing court battle
⚖️ Legal fight continues even after deer escaped, with costs piling up

LAWRENCE (Mercer) — A township woman who acted fast to save an orphaned deer years ago is embroiled in a court battle with local and state officials.

In 2019, Cammy Lowe found a fawn, alongside its dead mother deer in a wooded area.

Lowe, who runs TLC Country Stables in the Lawrenceville area, has said she called around to animal rescues, but found no resources.

So she took in the baby animal, named him Rudy, and nursed him to be a full-grown deer.

Five years later, someone trespassed onto the property and into a barn, taking a photo of the deer, and lodging a formal complaint, according to Lowe’s attorney, John W. Hartmann.

Under state regulations, deer are considered a “Potentially Dangerous Wildlife Species,” and therefore illegal to keep as pets.

That classification is for exotic mammals, birds, reptiles or amphibians, or non-game species which, “in the opinion of the Division, is capable of inflicting serious or fatal injuries or which has the potential to become an agricultural pest, or a menace to the public health, or indigenous wildlife populations.”

Along with deer, the restrictions include: ground squirrels, prairie dogs, alligators, crocodiles, bears, monkeys, ring-necked parakeets, non-domestic cats or dogs, vipers and cobras.

A trial in Lawrence Municipal Court was set to get underway on Wednesday.

🔗 Most expensive beach fees in New Jersey

💸 Jersey Shore beach fees now top $100+ in some towns, with season tags reaching as high as $145 in 2026
📈 Biggest hikes hit season passes, with some towns raising prices by $20–$25 in a single year
🏖️ Even small daily increases add up for families already squeezed by inflation and shore costs

Beach days at the Jersey Shore are getting more expensive — and for some families, the price of sand and surf is starting to sting.

A new analysis by NJ.com on 2026 beach fees shows a wide range across New Jersey, with season tags climbing as high as $145 and daily passes creeping toward double digits in many towns.

While some increases are modest, others are anything but. Mantoloking led the way with one of the biggest hikes in the state, raising its seasonal badge by $25 in a single year.

Across the Shore, at least eight towns raised season badge prices for 2026, continuing a trend that has quietly accelerated in recent years.

Daily badge increases were smaller — typically $1 to $2 — but even those incremental bumps can add up quickly for families visiting multiple times a week.

Critics argue the growing costs are turning what was once a working-class summer tradition into a luxury experience. Supporters counter that badge revenue helps fund beach replenishment, lifeguards, and maintenance.

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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