NJ's deadly summer in the water

Here are the top New Jersey news stories for Friday:

⬛ 8-year-old drowns in Roxbury, NJ creek

Roxbury police shield (Canva)

ROXBURY TOWNSHIP — An 8-year-old boy drowned in a creek on Wednesday afternoon.

Morris County Prosecutor Robert Carroll said police were called around 3:35 p.m. to a home in the Flanders section where they found the boy face down in a creek.

He was unsuccessfully resuscitated and taken to St. Clare’s Hospital in Dover where he was pronounced dead.

The drowning is not considered suspicious but an investigation is ongoing. Carroll did not disclose the boy's identity or the exact location of the drowning.

⬛ Thieves are targeting vehicles at NJ Turnpike rest stops

NJ State Police/Canva

The same getaway vehicle was used during burglaries at three different New Jersey Turnpike service areas, according to the New Jersey State Police.

Authorities want to know who's responsible for multiple burglaries that occurred on June 30 and July 4, at the Thomas Edison, Molly Pitcher, and Vince Lombardi stops.

According to police, individuals are stealing property from vehicles on site.

⬛ Have recent rains been enough to eliminate NJ drought concerns?

Canva

The U.S. Drought Monitor has been updated to reflect the latest rainfall and water supply concerns in the Garden State.

What a difference a month makes, or even a week.

Following a mostly dry winter into spring, there were rising concerns for drought across New Jersey.

Then, along came the last week of June, when areas of the state received a month's worth of rainfall over the course of 24 hours. As recently as this past weekend, several towns in the state recorded three to five inches of precipitation.

⬛ NJ offshore wind protestors plan huge Jersey Shore demonstration

The event, “Hands Across the Beaches” is scheduled for July 15 at many New Jersey beaches, as well as some in New York, Delaware, and Maryland, as a massive show of solidarity by those who oppose the turbines and who protest the planned destruction of Jersey beaches that they claim will happen due to the offshore wind farms.

All who attend will be linking hands to form a human chain along the water’s edge starting at 10:30 a.m. and linking up at 11 a.m.

⬛ New Jersey is giving away more money for EVs

New Jersey is offering new incentives for residents and businesses to purchase electric powered vehicles and install publicly accessible charging stations.

Gov. Phil Murphy and the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities announced $4,000 rebates for EVs with a Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) under $45,000 and incentives of up to $1,500 for vehicles with an MSRP between $45,001 and $55,000.