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

🔗 Tragedy: A South Jersey Firefighter’s Unimaginable Death

https://nj1015.com/ixp/397/p/camden-firefighter-heroic-service/

According to the chief of the Camden Fire Department, the firefighter was doing regular maintenance on a department fire boat near Wiggins Marina around 11:30 am on Thursday when he fell into the water and got stuck under the ice.

Bennett was trapped for about 30 minutes, the chief said at a news conference.

They were able to pull him from the river, and he was taken to a waiting ambulance.

"This is a very difficult time for all of us. I do not have enough words that I can even say that could tell you how this is hurting all of us," said Camden Fire Chief Jesse Flax.

At an emotional news conference, Camden Mayor Victor G. Carstarphen thanked the fallen firefighter for the sacrifices he made to serve the city.

"Camden's prayers are with the family, because he wasn't just a public servant. He was a husband, a brother, a father that committed his adult life to serving, and protecting, and being there for our residents in the city."

Pete Perez, the president of Local 788, a union that represents Camden firefighters, said Howard Bennett was the person who handled boating issues for the fire department, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.

🔗 Are you owed cash? Track your NJ property tax rebate now

🔹 NJ’s Stay NJ property tax rebates begin mailing to approved recipients starting Feb. 9, 2026.
🔹 You can check your benefit status online or by phone; contact NJ Division of Taxation for missing payments.
🔹 A new PAS-1 combined application is open now for next year, but future payouts hinge on state budget negotiations.

TRENTON — New Jersey officials confirmed that the first Stay NJ property tax rebate checks for eligible homeowners will begin arriving in mailboxes Feb. 9, 2026, with paper checks sent to approved applicants who filed the PAS-1 combined property tax relief application last year. ALL eligible homeowners will receive a check in the mail, there is no direct deposit for this program.

Stay NJ reimburses qualifying seniors and disabled homeowners for a portion of their property tax bill.

Treasury officials said additional Stay NJ payments will follow quarterly throughout 2026 as part of the program’s phased rollout.

🔗 Primary Upset?

Analilia Mejia has claimed victory in the Democratic primary in the 11th congressional district to fill the seat held by Mikie Sherrill calling it a “people powered victory.” The Associated Press said Majia only has a 486 vote lead over Tom Malinowski and said it was too close to call.

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — The race in New Jersey between a onetime political director for Sen. Bernie Sanders and a former congressman was too early to call Thursday, in a special House Democratic primary for a seat that was vacated after Mikie Sherill was elected governor.

Former U.S. Rep. Tom Malinowski started election night with a significant lead over Analilia Mejia, based largely on early results from mail-in ballots. The margin narrowed as results from votes cast that day were tallied.

With more than 61,000 votes counted, Mejia led Malinowski by 486, or less than 1 percentage point.

All three counties in the district report some mail-in ballots yet to be processed. Also, mail-in ballots postmarked by election day can arrive as late as Wednesday and still be counted.

🔗 Iconic gold bulls vanish from South Jersey winery driveway

🐂 Two iconic gold bull statues vanished from an Atlantic County winery
🚔 Police have been notified as the winery reviews surveillance footage and asks the public for help
🍷 The statues are central to the winery’s identity and branding, making the disappearance especially painful

HAMMONTON — A South Jersey winery is missing two bulls.

No, they’re not real, but they still mean a lot to the owners.

The iconic twin gold bull statues guarding the front driveway of Kennedy Cellars Winery, located at 839 13th Street, in Hammonton, have gone missing.

The pair of large gold-painted statues disappeared sometime between Sunday night and early Monday, according to the winery owners.

“We have contacted the local police, we will be checking with neighbors and their cameras, and hope to discover how our boys vanished,” they wrote on the winery’s Facebook page.

The statues are a central part of the winery’s brand, which features the bull on its bottles and throughout the facility,

🔗 NJ reacts to a county awarding itself the pizza crown

🍕 Without a vote, Monmouth County declares that it is the Pizza Capital of New Jersey.
🍕 National Pizza Day is Monday, Feb. 9
🍕 New Jersey 101.5 listeners have their own opinions on the best pizza

Is this how the New Jersey Civil War begins, over sauce and mozz?

In a move that's controversial no matter how you slice it, Monmouth County has declared itself the "Pizza Capital" of New Jersey. The proclamation comes just before National Pizza Day, which is Monday, Feb. 9.

Monmouth County Commissioner Director Thomas Arnone lit the ovens of debate on Thursday during his annual State of the County speech.

“We are incredibly proud of our pizzerias and our small business community and we believe that our pizzerias are truly the best in New Jersey,” Arnone said.

In celebration, Monmouth County is offering each pizza restaurant a free social media video to promote its business. The business must join the Slice in Monmouth group and fill out a form here. There are more than 260 pizza restaurants listed on the website at the time of publishing.

So, does Monmouth County really deserve the title? Get ready for a takedown that's dripping with as much sarcasm as a Pizza Hut slice drips with oil.

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.

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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