No 'epidemic' of car theft

Here are the top New Jersey news stories for Friday:

⬛ NJ reacts to Trump verdict and what you need to know

Following his stunning conviction on Thursday, New Jersey reacts to the Donald Trump verdict.

There are many questions:

Will there be an appeal?

Can Trump still run for president?

Can he still vote?

We have the answers to those and more questions.

⬛ Prosecutors highlight wife's finances at Menendez's bribery trial

(AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey)

Prosecutors at Sen. Bob Menendez’s bribery trial showed jurors hundreds of texts, emails and phone calls over two days that show his girlfriend-turned-wife's desperate financial situation before New Jersey businessmen she had long known came to the rescue.

Prosecutors elicited the evidence through the testimony of an FBI agent for a second day Wednesday as they sought to show that Menendez, 70, conspired with three businessmen and his wife, Nadine Menendez, 57, in a bribery scheme that enriched the couple with gold bars, hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash and a luxury car.

⬛ Police won't change tactics after Ocean City, NJ boardwalk chaos

Ocean City Police Chief Bill Campbell (6abc Philadelphia)

Police aren't adding any more officers to patrol the Ocean City boardwalk this weekend but the mayor says it's still the safest shore town to bring your family.

"We are Ocean City. We are the safest town and that's why people come here," said Mayor Jay Gillian at a press conference on the boardwalk.

It comes after a weekend of violence and rowdy behavior down the shore that was mostly caused by teens.

⬛ There is no 'epidemic' of car thefts in NJ

Canva/Townsquare Media illustration

New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin says statistics show car theft is not an 'epidemic' in the Garden State.

Platkin was a guest on a New Jersey 101.5 Town Hall broadcast that explored car theft in New Jersey.

He claims car thefts are down from a year ago. Some local mayors and police officials dispute that and say car theft and home invasions are among residents' biggest concerns.

⬛ NJ airport says safety is key, as group protests geese killing

Jet, geese strike warning (Canva)

A lethal process for culling Canada geese around New Jersey has been the focus of recent grassroots protesters — who have planned to demonstrate at an airport.

Teterboro Airport has been “gassing” geese with carbon dioxide under an ongoing contract with the USDA-Wildlife Services, which the Animal Protection League of New Jersey wants to see ended.

The practice of removing geese takes on an element of urgency when dealing with planes, according to the airport’s operators.

Trump's 2024 Wildwood, NJ rally draws massive crowds

Donald Trump drew thousands of spectators and supporters to Wildwood for a beachfront rally on Saturday, May 11, 2024. Check out the crowds and spectacle.

Gallery Credit: Rick Rickman