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

While the longest government shutdown in our nation's history was ended with a stroke of President Donald Trump's pen on Wednesday night, actually restarting government operations is going to take some time.

The impacts on air travel, food assistance programs, the education department, civilian military employees and even parks and museums will linger.

About 1.25 million federal workers, including tens of thousands in New Jersey, have not been paid since Oct.1. In total, that is about $16 billion in lost wages. How and when that back-pay will be handled is still unknown.

The Smithsonian Museum and National Zoo are making plans to reopen by the weekend.

Keep scrolling for more on the process of reopening the federal government and why airlines are optimistic they can resume normal operations ahead of Thanksgiving.

Plus, who do New Jersey drivers say are the worst to share the road with?

The answer will surprise you.

⬛ Airlines are optimistic about a quick recovery ahead of Thanksgiving

✈ Flight reduction orders remain in effect after government shutdown ends
✈ More air traffic controllers are coming back to work
✈ Airlines hope to resume normal operations before Thanksgiving

Airlines are optimistic they can resume normal operations just a few days after the government lifts its order to cut some flights at 40 busy airports, but it’s not clear how soon that will happen even though the federal shutdown is over.

The Federal Aviation Administration did announce Wednesday night that airlines won’t have to cut more than 6% of flights at those airports because air traffic controller staffing has improved significantly in the last few days. Originally the order that took effect last Friday called for those flight cuts to increase to 8% Thursday and top out at 10% on Friday.

A number of air traffic controllers missed work while they were going without pay during the shutdown, and the spike in understaffing at airport towers and regional control centers prompted the flight cut order due to concerns about safety. The existing shortage of several thousand controllers is so bad that even a small number of absences in some locations caused problems.

Officials at FAA and the Transportation Department didn’t offer any updates Thursday morning about when they will decide to lift the order. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has said the decision will be based on the safety data that experts at the FAA are watching closely.

⬛ ICE detainee’s release fuels emotional rally in NJ town

☑️ Monmouth County restaurant co-owner detained by ICE is expected home.
☑️ Community rallied behind the Atlantic Highlands father
☑️ A 'welcome home' lunch rally is planned for the restaurant he co-owns

ATLANTIC HIGHLANDS — A Monmouth County restaurant owner and father of three who was detained by ICE in October is set to head back to his family.

Ruperto Vicens Marquez was taken into custody by ICE in front of St. Agnes Catholic Church in Atlantic Highlands during a traffic stop during the weekend of Oct. 17. He was being held at the Delaney Hall facility in Newark. Marquez is the chef at Emilio's Kitchen, the restaurant he co-owns with his brother,

Mayor Lori Hohenleitner, who spearheaded efforts to release him and created a GoFundMe campaign to help his family, said that a judge ruled Thursday at a bond hearing that he can be released. ICE has 24 hours to appeal the decision but Hohenleitner said that's not likely. Marquez will more than likely return to Atlantic Highlands on Friday.

⬛ Union pay scandal rocks NJ Transit

☑️Union leaders for NJ Transit engineers were overpaid more than first thought
☑️Integrity team finds deeper payroll irregularities as investigation continues
☑️NJ Transit CEO Kolluri vows accountability before stepping down in January

The leadership of the union representing NJ Transit engineers were overpaid by more than originally thought.

According to a letter in October signed by Deputy General Manager Patrick McGreal, Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen General Chairman Tom Haas and Vice Chairman Donald Melhorn submitted timecards for the times they were meeting with the agency's senior leadership about their contract. A preliminary review of payroll records indicated they owed NJ Transit a combined $10,000.

Integrity team finds deeper payroll irregularities
During Wednesday's Board of Directors meeting, Kolluri said an integrity review team hired to look at the initial findings and the agency's processes found they may owe more.

"We were validated on our initial suspicion but it turns out it's a little bit more that what we had thought. I am waiting for the final report to be delivered over the next several weeks, after which we will consider not only our options for remedy but we will be looking at all other things that we have to do to make sure this does not happen again," Kolluri said.

⬛ NJ homes could cut electric costs by 21% in 2026, under new plan

💡Analysis shows NJ families could cut electric costs by 21% in 2026 if the state adopts a new clean energy affordability plan.
🏛️ Advocates warn without action, households may pay $70 more per month by 2028 due to grid delays, utility profits and rising data-center demand.
🔌 The plan urges reforms for PJM, data-center accountability, utility profit limits and smart EV charging to stabilize costs statewide.

TRENTON — New Jersey households could see electric costs cut by 21% in 2026, under a new plan outlined by clean energy advocates.

Independent analysis done by Synapse Energy Economics was presented by Evergreen Collaborative, the National Resource Defense Council and state Senator Andrew Zwicker, D-Somerset.

On the opposite end, if policymakers do nothing, the same analysis shows the average New Jersey family could be paying $70 more a month on electricity bills by 2028.

⬛ New Jersey Drivers Say New Yorkers Are the Worst—But We’re Not Exactly Honking Our Own Horns

🚗 The Eternal Rivalry: Garden State vs. Empire State Drivers

NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. — If there’s one thing that unites us as New Jersey drivers, it’s our collective eye-roll at anyone with New York (or Pennsylvania) plates. According to a new Rutgers–Eagleton Poll, a full 33% of New Jersey voters say New York drivers are the absolute worst on the road.

But here’s the twist: 22% of New Jerseyans also ranked themselves as the worst drivers. It’s a mix of road rage and self-awareness that feels—well—very Jersey.

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

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