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

⬛ NJ community wins right to secede from town

❎ South Seaside Park is part of Berkeley Township in Ocean County

❎ Residents want to be part of neighboring Seaside Park

❎ NJ Supreme Court says OK

South Seaside Park has long been included with Berkeley Township, but the Ocean County community says they are not part of the township.

Efforts to leave the Township and join with neighboring Seaside Park led to a legal battle that has dragged on for more than a decade.

The New Jersey Supreme Court has now unanimously ruled in favor of South Seaside Park and what is known as "deannexation."

In the ruling, the justices found Berkeley Township's refusal to approve resident's deannexation petition was “arbitrary and unreasonable” and that South Seaside Park residents met the legal requirements to be heard on the issue.

The court also noted evidence that when hearings were finally held by the Berkeley Township Planning Board, town officials colluded with the board to reject deannexation.

⬛ School board politics rocked by torrid affair and weapons arrest

☑️ Middletown BOE member Joseph Fitzgerald was stopped with 3 weapons
☑️ He told his wife he was going to "take care of" his girlfriend's husband
☑️Fitzgerald's wife called police

MIDDLETOWN — An affair may have driven a township Board of Education member to travel with an unregistered weapon to confront his paramour's husband.

The new information came out during a detention hearing on Wednesday after he spent eight days in the Monmouth County jail.

Joseph Fitzgerald, a conservative politician who was elected on a family values platform and is seeking a second term this year, was arrested with four weapons, including an unregistered Ruger LCP pistol and two stun guns, during a traffic stop on June 30.

He was en route to an "altercation" with an unspecified person, investigators initially said.

During a detention hearing on Wednesday, Assistant County Prosecutor Jessica Layton told Superior Court Judge Vincent N. Falcetano that Fitzgerald and his wife are going through a separation because of his affair with another woman.

The husband of his paramour called Fitzgerald's wife to ask her what kind of vehicle Fitzgerald drove.

After being told it was a blue pickup with an American flag in the back, the husband said he had been followed by a pickup with that description into the parking lot of the Acme supermarket in the Lincroft section.

Fitzgerald and his wife got into an argument when she called him. Fitzgerald said he was "going to take care of this right now."

⬛ Ex-teacher faces serious charges after a disturbing return

🚨 A former employee entered the middle school where he had worked
🚨 John C. Stewart went to several spots and pleasured himself, police say
🚨 Children were present in another area of the school at the time

FAIR LAWN — A former middle school worker returned to the building and masturbated in different areas of the building on Tuesday while children were nearby.

John C. Stewart, who used to work at the Thomas Jefferson Middle School, went to the campus at different times during the day including one time when children were there for a summer activity. However, Stewart did not approach any children while he was at the school, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella said.

The prosecutor did not disclose what Stewart's role with the school was or when his employment ended.

Superintendent Rui Dionisio described Stewart as a "temporary staff member" who is no longer employed with the district and has no access to district facilities.

"The safety and security of our students and staff remain our highest priority. The district has comprehensive security measures and protocols in place to safeguard the safety of our students and staff, including maintaining a close partnership with law enforcement," Dionisio said.

⬛ Who dumped three scared and dehydrated pups in a NJ state park?

⚠ Three puppies were found abandoned in a New Jersey state park
⚠ They were filthy, dehydrated, and terrified
⚠ The Monmouth County SPCA is reaching out to the public for help

EATONTOWN — The Monmouth County SPCA needs the public's help in finding out who abandoned three filthy, dehydrated, and frightened puppies in a park on Fourth of July weekend.

The three pups were found near Allaire State Park in Wall Township over the holiday weekend. “We’re sharing in the hopes that someone has information about where they came from,” the SPCA pleaded on Facebook.

The pups were dirty, dehydrated and so frightened to be out there all alone, the animal organization said.

They have all been examined, and fed proper, nutritious meals. “They’re now sleeping with full bellies on comfy bedding and will get the best care possible,” the SPCA said on the social media site.

If anyone has any details as to where these puppies may have come from, please call the Monmouth County SPCA Cruelty Hotline at 877-898-7297. You can also send an email.

⬛��Authorities arrest 264 violent fugitives in Operation Apex Hammer

🔴 Hundreds of fugitives arrested in New Jersey operation
🔴 Charges include murder, sexual assault, and child endangerment
🔴 Most arrests were in Camden and Newark

Hundreds of dangerous criminals have been arrested in New Jersey over the past month in a sweeping operation by the U.S. Marshals Service, according to authorities.

Operation Apex Hammer resulted in the arrests of 264 violent fugitives wanted for crimes throughout the Garden State in one month, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

It began in early June and wrapped up last week, authorities said.

The suspects included 17 wanted killers, 95 gang members, and dozens of sex offenders, according to the DOJ.

The New York/New Jersey Regional Fugitive Task Force made most of the arrests in Newark and Camden with help from local law enforcement.

Start your day with up-to-the-minute news, traffic and weather for the Garden State.

Eric Scott hosts the New Jersey 101.5 Morning Show 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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