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

🔗 Suspicious Device Cancels Keansburg Parade

The annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Keansburg was canceled at the last minute on Saturday afternoon because of a “suspicious device” found near the parade route.

Keansburg Police Chief Sandra Burton said the decision to cancel was made in conjunction with Mayor George Hoff “ to ensure the safety of all attendees.”

No other devices were located by K9 units during a search.

Hoff told News 12 no decision has been made about a make up date for the parade which is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year.

Keansburg police wrote on Facebook, "We recognize the significant time, effort, and planning that went into organizing this event, and we thank our town officials and organizers for their dedication and cooperation. I also commend parade attendees for their cooperation and orderly, swift departure when advised to clear the area."

🔗 ICE: Suspect in Fatal Hit and Run Was in US Illegally

The suspect in a fatal hit-and-run in Morristown was in the U.S. illegally from Ecuador, according to ICE.

Police said Wilson Adrian Morocho-Necta was driving a pickup truck that struck a 68-year-old man as he crossed a street and dragged him more than 50 feet before stopping and fleeing.

ICE said that he was deported in 2019 to Mexico and re-entered the U.S. at an unknown time and place.

Morristown Green reports that Morocho-Necta was driving a vehicle for MC Home Improvements & Construction of Mountainside. The company's owner told Morristown Green that he was “mortified” at the incident. He is cooperating with the police.

Morocho-Necta is charged with second-degree leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death and third-degree endangering an injured victim by leaving the scene.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call Morristown Police at
973-538-2200 or Morris County Crimestoppers 973-267-2255.

🔗 TSA pay may be coming, but airport delays could persist

Even after President Donald Trump ordered emergency pay for Transportation Security Administration agents to ease long security lines, major U.S. airports on Sunday were still urging travelers to arrive hours early — and federal immigration officers brought in to help may not be leaving anytime soon.

Trump’s executive order on Friday instructed the Department of Homeland Security to pay TSA officers immediately, though it’s unclear how quickly travelers will see an impact. The move comes during a busy travel stretch, with spring breaks underway and Passover and Easter approaching.

Tens of thousands of TSA employees have been working without pay since DHS funding lapsed on Valentine’s Day. The department’s shutdown reached 44 days on Sunday, eclipsing the record 43-day shutdown last fall that affected all of the federal government.

Caleb Harmon-Marshall, a former TSA officer who runs a travel newsletter called Gate Access, said the staffing crisis won’t improve significantly until officers are confident that they won’t be subjected to more skipped paychecks.

“It has to be an extended pay for them to come back or want to stay there,” he said, estimating longer lines could linger for another week or two.

Jones, the TSA union leader, offered a more optimistic outlook on Sunday, saying he’s hopeful that passengers could see wait times ease closer to typical levels once workers are able to afford basic expenses like gas to get to work.

🔗 NJ kratom ban debate gets explosive as Trenton weighs risks

💊 New Jersey lawmakers push to ban kratom ingredient 7-OH with dire warnings.
💊 Studies link kratom to hundreds of deaths, but with a significant catch.
💊 Advocates argue banning it could backfire, pushing pain patients to illegal drugs.

There's a battle brewing in Trenton over whether to ban an unregulated drug sold in gas stations that could lead to a new addiction crisis.

A heated state Senate hearing this month had witnesses pointing fingers, accusing each other of being paid off by special interests.

"It's the equivalent of heroin that's being sold legally in local stores around our communities. It's evil," said John Mopper, a recovering addict and behavioral health specialist in Somerset County.

The ban on kratom is moving swiftly through the state legislature.

However, there are many kratom advocates out there who say it should be regulated but not outright banned.

Michele Ross is a neuroscientist from Perth Amboy. Over 360,000 New Jerseyans use kratom to manage chronic pain with no issues, Ross said to state lawmakers. She warned that several states had banned kratom, and that some had seen opioid overdoses spike.

"When you need pain management, and there is nothing available, you're going to get drugs from the illegal market," Ross said.

🔗 Two NJ public workers, nearly $1.6M in payouts — taxpayers demand answers

🚨 Residents outraged over $813K comp-time tab for NJ town boss
🚨 Another NJ town faces scrutiny over a $780K police retirement payout
🚨 Critics say “boat check” culture is still costing taxpayers big
🚨 Officials insist payouts follow the rules — but questions remain

A pair of compensation cases in New Jersey is fueling fresh outrage over how local governments handle unused time and how much taxpayers could ultimately be on the hook. As New Jersey 101.5 reported in February, property taxes have reached an all-time high.

In Ringwood, residents recently packed a council meeting after learning longtime borough manager Scott Heck has accumulated more than $813,000 in unused comp time, according to NJ.com.

A separate case in West Orange is drawing similar scrutiny. Former police chief James Abbott retired after 45 years and is entitled to a payout of about $787,000 for unused leave, also reported by NJ.com.

Both cases highlight a long-running issue in New Jersey: so-called “boat checks,” a term popularized by Christie to describe massive retirement payouts. While the state capped sick leave payouts for new public employees in 2010, the limits don’t apply to longtime workers who were already in the system.

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.

Join the conversation by calling 1-800-283-1015 or download the NJ101.5 app.

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

Click here to contact an editor about feedback or a correction for this story.