Baraka vows to close Delaney Hall in Newark — NJ Top News
Here's the stories you'll be talking about on the New Jersey 101.5 Morning Show on Wednesday:
🔗 Primary Election Results: Key races take shape for November
✔ Former Navy helicopter pilot will face Tom Kean, Jr, in New Jersey's 7th district
✔ Bernie Sanders endorsed candidate Adam Hamawy now favorite it succeed Watson-Coleman
Rebecca Bennett, a former Navy helicopter pilot, has won the New Jersey Democratic primary in the battleground 7th District. She’s set to take on Republican Rep. Tom Kean Jr., who has been away from Congress with an unspecified illness for months.
Bennett’s Tuesday victory over three other Democrats in the closely watched district sets up the state’s premier contest for November, when Democrats hope they can flip the onetime GOP stronghold that has proved competitive in recent years. Kean’s absence — his last vote was in early March — has supercharged interest in the seat, which Democrats view as key to winning control of the narrowly divided House.
Adam Hamawy has won the crowded Democratic Party race to succeed retiring U.S. Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman in New Jersey’s 12th Congressional District.
Hamawy, a U.S. Army veteran and doctor, was one of 13 candidates vying for the Democratic Party nod. The Associated Press called the race in his favor at 9:36 p.m. on Tuesday evening. As of 11:00 p.m. on Tuesday, with 85% of the votes counted, Hamawy received 27.8% of the vote, while Brad Cohen, the next closest Democrat, tallied 15.8% of the vote.
Gregg Mele, an attorney and multiple-time candidate for office, earned the Republican Party nomination. He was the only candidate from his party to file for the seat.
🔗 Newark, state take Delaney Hall battle to court
✅ New Jersey and Newark filed lawsuits over conditions inside Delaney Hall
✅ State officials say health inspectors were denied access to key areas
✅ Newark Mayor Ras Baraka said the facility should close over health and safety
NEWARK — Lawsuits filed against the company that owns and operates Delaney Hall could go far toward achieving the goal of many Democrats to shut down the facility.
The state of New Jersey and the city of Newark filed separate lawsuits Friday aimed at exposing conditions at the Delaney Hall ICE detention center.
Since taking office, Gov. Mikie Sherrill has been a strong critic of ICE and has said many times she wants to see Delaney Hall close its doors.
"I am going to keep working for better conditions inside Delaney Hall until it is closed for good," Sherrill said on Saturday after State Police were called in to handle protesters on Friday.
The lawsuit by Democratic Mayor Ras Baraka has its roots in ongoing action by the city over a lack of inspections that the mayor believes should have kept Delaney closed when the facility reopened in 2025.
"We're going to argue even further that they should be closed because of health and human safety," Baraka said.
🔗 Man accused of biting ICE agents has a troubling criminal history
⚠️ A Madison man charged with assaulting ICE agents was previously convicted in Pennsylvania.
➡️ Federal prosecutors say he kicked and bit officers during a May 28 protest at Delaney Hall.
🔴 Court records show Brendan Geier received probation in a 2019 child exploitation materials case.
NEWARK — A New Jersey man charged with assaulting federal officers during a clash at Delaney Hall has previously been accused of sharing child sex abuse materials.
Brendan John Geier, 26, of Madison was arrested outside the ICE detention facility in Newark on May 28. The U.S. Attorney's Office for New Jersey says he's charged with assaulting federal officers and causing bodily injury, which could land him in prison for decades. Geier is accused of biting and kicking federal agents.
On Sunday, New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport said that many protestors have complied with law enforcement, and that a group of agitators put others at risk.
But Trump administration officials have not hesitated to make an example of Geier. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and multiple federal agencies shared photos of bite marks on social media.
"We will not tolerate the vicious attacks on ICE officers we’ve seen in New Jersey the last few days. These riots are clearly not 'peaceful protests' as you can see from the photos of these horrific wounds," Blanche said on X.
🔗 A fast-rising NJ police sergeant is accused of tampering
⚠️ A Garfield police sergeant is charged with witness tampering after an April text message.
➡️ Prosecutors say he asked another officer to lie during an internal affairs interview.
🔴 The arrest comes after a rapid rise through the department, including a 2024 promotion.
GARFIELD — A city police sergeant is facing a criminal charge of trying to pressure an investigation.
Anthony Pizzi is accused of sending a text to another officer on April 16, while serving as a supervisor, and asking him to lie in an internal affairs interview.
The 30-year-old Pizzi was arrested last week and charged with third-degree tampering with witnesses.
He was first hired in January 2019 and attended the Bergen County Police Academy.
Pizzi had the highest New Jersey Civil Service Sergeant Test score in the Department and one of the highest in the State — and was promoted in 2024 to Sgt.
Online records show last year, Pizzi had a six-figure salary, earning more than $164,000.
🔗 When does Seaside Heights beach actually close?
🌊Seaside Heights officials say a 6 p.m. beach closure Sunday was a mistake
🌊Police said beaches remain open into the evening throughout the summer
🌊Seaside Heights beaches normally close at 10 p.m. unless safety concerns arise
SEASIDE HEIGHTS — A popular Jersey Shore beach will not be closing at 6 p.m. this summer.
Gregory Andrus, the owner of the Facebook page “Portraits of the Jersey Shore,” said police told him that the beach would be closed early all summer when the beach tag checkers and lifeguards left for the day at 6 p.m.
But Seaside Heights Police Chief Tommy Boyd told New Jersey 101.5 it was a mistake that led to the beach being closed that early on Sunday. The beaches will remain open into the evening.
"My sergeant just put 'closed' [too] early, that's all it was. It was a mistake," Boyd said.
There are occasions for safety reasons when the beach could be closed early.
"We only close them early if there's a really bad riptide because unfortunately people don't realize when they get in the water, they lose their footing and they're gone.
The beach in Seaside Heights closes every day at 10 p.m.
Biggest layoffs in New Jersey this year
Gallery Credit: Erin Vogt
PHOTOS: Clashes with police outside Delaney Hall after protest zone fails
Gallery Credit: The Associated Press
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