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

⬛ ICE officer kills a Minneapolis driver—Latest

https://apnews.com/article/minnesota-immigration-enforcement-shooting-crackdown-surge-173e00fa7388054e98c3b5b9417c1e5a

The 37-year-old woman was shot in the head in front of a family member in a snowy residential neighborhood south of downtown Minneapolis, just a few blocks from some of the oldest immigrant markets and about a mile (1.6 kilometers) from where George Floyd was killed by police in 2020.

Her killing after 9:30 a.m. was recorded on video by witnesses, and the shooting quickly drew a large crowd of angry protesters. By evening, hundreds were there for a vigil to mourn her death and urge the public to resist immigration enforcers.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem described the incident as an “act of domestic terrorism” carried out against ICE officers by a woman who “attempted to run them over and rammed them with her vehicle."

But Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey blasted Noem’s version of what happened as “garbage” and criticized the federal deployment.

⬛ Bench-clearing brawl leads to teams ban from NJ state playoffs

A New Jersey high school basketball game was halted after a bench-clearing brawl that led to both teams being barred from the upcoming state tournament under NJSIAA rules.
Officials cited unsportsmanlike conduct and multiple players leaving the bench during the melee as reasons for disqualification.
St. Joseph (Hamm.) and LEAP Academy banned from state tourney.

A New Jersey high school basketball game ended in controversy when a late-game altercation escalated into a bench-clearing brawl, according to NJ.com. The bench-clearing brawl prompted officials to end the contest prematurely and trigger severe disciplinary action from the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA). Under NJSIAA rules — which penalize teams when three or more players are ejected for unsportsmanlike conduct or leave the bench area during a fight — both teams involved were banned from participating in this season’s state tournament.

The melee underscored longstanding concerns about violence and conduct at youth sporting events, where rules aim to discourage players, coaches, and spectators from engaging in physical altercations. High school sports regulations across the U.S. treat bench-clearing brawls as serious infractions, often resulting in ejections, suspensions, and even tournament bans to reinforce sportsmanship and safety.

School and athletic association officials did not publicly dispute the decision, emphasizing that maintaining proper conduct on and off the court is essential to preserving the integrity of high school athletics.

⬛ Bon Jovi-backed Soul Kitchen pop-up closing in Toms River

️ JBJ Soul Kitchen Pop-Up in Toms River at the Ocean County Library is closing Jan. 30.
❤️ Jon Bon Jovi and Dorothea Bongiovi’s nonprofit helps those facing food insecurity, using a Pay It Forward model.
⚖️ Despite public response, the spot saw limited "institutional support."

TOMS RIVER — As it approaches the one-year mark, a successful Ocean County pop-up location by the Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation is closing its doors at the end of the month.

The JBJ Soul Kitchen Pop-Up, located at 101 Washington Street inside the Ocean County Library, received a final extension over the summer to remain open through Jan. 30, 2026.

“We are hoping for another extension, but with limited institutional support, it doesn’t look promising,” the JBJ Soul Kitchen said in an August announcement.

The township’s polarizing mayor, Dan Rodrick, dismissed the pop-up as a “soup kitchen” that was attracting more people struggling with homelessness to Toms River.

However, the local public response was overwhelmingly positive.

In 2016, JBJ Soul Kitchen expanded to include The B.E.A.T. Center in Toms River along Hooper Avenue. The resource hub offers a JBJ Soul Kitchen, choice food pantry in partnership with Fulfill, and a culinary training program.

The program has also expanded to locations at Rutgers University-Newark (starting in 2020) and New Jersey City University (since 2023), addressing food insecurity among students.

⬛ Family game of Uno turns to bloody violence

A fight over an Uno game at a Clark family party allegedly escalated into a stabbing.
Police later arrested a 37-year-old Newark Uber driver weeks after the incident.
The suspect faces multiple felony weapons and assault charges and remains jailed.

CLARK — A 37-year-old has been arrested and charged, weeks after allegedly stabbing someone when a fight broke out over a game of Uno at a family party in Union County.

On Friday, Dec. 19, members of the Clark Police Department went to a home on the 200 block of Gibson Boulevard just after midnight on a report of a fight involving a knife and a baseball bat.

Witnesses told police that during a family party at one of the apartments, relatives began arguing over a game of Uno. The fight spilled out into the parking lot, where one person was stabbed.

⬛ New dietary guidelines urge Americans to avoid processed foods and added sugar

https://apnews.com/article/dietary-guidelines-health-agriculture-federal-nutrition-2d8fa56be3c5900fc45116af7c69d786

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins issued the 2025-2030 U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which offer updated recommendations for a healthy diet and provide the foundation for federal nutrition programs and policies. They come as Kennedy has for months stressed overhauling the U.S. food supply as part of his Make America Healthy Again agenda.

The guidelines emphasize consumption of fresh vegetables, whole grains and dairy products, long advised as part of a healthy eating plan.

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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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