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

⬛ Powerball Keeps Growing

Wednesday’s jackpot ranks as the fourth largest in Powerball history and among U.S. lottery games.

“Much like the holidays, Powerball is a game that brings people together to dream big and hope for a brighter future,” said Matt Strawn, Powerball Product Group Chair and Iowa Lottery CEO. “We hope this growing jackpot inspires excitement and joy, and, most importantly, good will to all. A portion of every ticket helps support programs and services that benefit local communities.”

⬛ School cell phone ban approved by legislature

Governor Phil Murphy has signaled he will sign the legislation into law.

This isn’t just another policy tweak — it’s a full-on cultural debate over youth, technology, learning, parenting and public safety. Some see it as a common-sense way to improve focus and reduce distraction. Others decry it as heavy-handed overreach that fractures the tenuous trust between schools, families and students.

Nearly half of states now have restrictions on students’ use of phones during classroom instruction.

⬛ Big changes coming to school schedules in Bridgewater-Raritan

📚 Bridgewater students will experience new school start times this fall, promoting better alignment across grade levels.
⏰ The high school will start 40 minutes later at 8 a.m., while middle schools will start earlier.
🎒 Full-day kindergarten is being introduced across the district, enhancing early education.

BRIDGEWATER — Students in the largest district in Somerset County will be getting ready for school to start at a different time starting in the fall.

The Bridgewater-Raritan Regional school district is one of the largest suburban districts in the state, with about 8,000 students.

District students attend seven primary (K-4) schools, two intermediate (5-6) schools, one middle school and one high school.

In time for September 2026, Bridgewater-Raritan is carrying out “significant changes to grade configurations” and introducing full-day kindergarten, district-wide.

With the new school year, Bridgewater-Raritan Regional High School will see its start time pushed later by 40 minutes to 8 a.m., Bridgewater Schools Superintendent Robert Beer said in an announcement on Dec. 16.

The middle school, housing grades 7 and 8, will start 40 minutes earlier at 7:30 a.m., while the intermediate schools for grades 5 and 6 will start 75 minutes earlier at 8 a.m.

⬛ Operation Bad Santa: 12 busted in child predator sting

🚔 12 men accused in Middlesex County child predator sting after allegedly arranging meetings with minors who were actually undercover officers
🎓 A teacher and a youth program coordinator among those charged, raising concerns about access to children in New Jersey
🕵️ “Operation Bad Santa” spanned multiple NJ towns and involved local police, the FBI and Homeland Security

Middlesex County authorities have said they rounded up 12 accused child predators in a recent undercover sweep.

A teacher and a youth program coordinator were among men facing criminal charges as a result of “Operation Bad Santa.”

All 12 men, ranging in age from 23 to 65, were arrested over several days this month — Dec. 8 through Dec. 12, and Dec. 15.

Middlesex County Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone said they each arranged to meet with an underage child but were actually chatting with undercover officers.

Defendants were arrested when they arrived at an undercover residence, where they expected to find the child.

Instead, they were met by several law enforcement officers, who arrested them.

⬛ Hudson lawmakers warn Turnpike plan will choke local streets

🚧 Turnpike widening plan sparks backlash in Jersey City
🌉 Newark Bay Bridge expansion still doubles lanes, critics say
🏛️ Murphy administration calls revised plan a major compromise

A revamp of a billion-dollar plan to widen New Jersey Turnpike Extension is being applauded by labor unions but jeered by local lawmakers who argue that the project threatens to funnel more traffic and pollution into Hudson County neighborhoods.

While Gov. Phil Murphy and the New Jersey Turnpike Authority unveiled a revised plan they describe as a compromise, incoming lawmakers and local advocates say the changes fall far short.

With construction set to begin in 2026 and Gov.-elect Mikie Sherrill urged to intervene, the Turnpike could become one of the biggest transportation debates in North Jersey, with Democrats on either side of the divide.

State officials announced the elimination of new travel lanes east of Exit 14A, calling the move a $500 million cost savings and a win for nearby communities. The revised plan still replaces the 1,270-foot Newark Bay Bridge with two new bridges carrying four lanes in each direction, doubling capacity at a point that narrows back to two lanes near Jersey City.

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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