Exclusive new details in Rutgers frat house tragedy—NJ Top News
Here's the stories you'll be talking about on the New Jersey 101.5 Morning Show on Monday:
Parents and community members have been frustrated by a lack of answers surrounding the injury of a student inside a Rutgers frat house.
New Jersey 101.5's Erin Vogt has been digging into documents that might shed some light on what did - or did not - happen.
Erin is reporting exclusive new details this morning.
Plus, another poll has the race for governor tightening and even suggesting it is now a dead heat.
Keep scrolling for the details and the rest of today's top stories.
⬛ NJ utility scam warning — Bramnick calls for urgent BPU action
⚡State Sen. Jon Bramnick says he was targeted in a potential utility scam call
⚡The Republican wants the BPU to act fast to protect consumers
⚡Bramnick blasts 'disrespectful' utility practices and long appointment windows
After two encounters with two different utility companies, New Jersey state Sen. Jon Bramick, R-Union, is calling for the state Board of Public Utilities to take immediate action on potential phishing scams and better respect for a customer's time.
In a video posted Monday, Bramnick said he was threatened with termination of service if he didn't return a call. The anonymous caller told the Republican he did not allow technicians access to his home. When Bramnick returned the call and identified himself, he was asked for his address. Bramnick said that the utility should already know the location and not be asking that of a customer.
"This is an insult in my judgment to consumers and also dangerous. And it's dangerous because there's going to be some bad actors out there who are going to figure, 'you know something, I'll act like the utility company. I'll call and say, I'm going to turn your services off and then I'm going to ask for information and do what we call a phishing expedition and try to get sensitive information.'"
⬛ Mayday! Ten Hillsdale firefighters injured in house fire
🔥Ten firefighters hurt in a fast-moving house fire in Hillsdale early Tuesday
🔥A flashover forced firefighters out of the home, and a mayday sounded
🔥All injuries were non-life-threatening
HILLSDALE — Ten firefighters were injured during a fast-moving house fire early Tuesday morning.
Hillsdale Fire Chief William Farrell said firefighters responded to a blaze on Ellen Court around 3:45 a.m. and found a fire on the back deck that had spread to the attic. A 911 caller told the dispatcher someone was trapped inside.
A temporary loss of water caused a flashover, causing firefighters to bail, and a mayday was transmitted. A flashover is the sudden ignition of all nearby combustible materials that causes temperatures to rise quickly.
⬛ Randolph police solve lewd note mystery
🚨A 74-year-old man was charged with leaving lewd messages on women’s cars
🚨Incidents reported in Randolph, Mount Arlington, and Rockaway Township
🚨Suspect released under strict monitoring
The case of the nasty letters and graphic photos left on windshields appears to have been solved.
After a woman went public about finding a sexually explicit message on the windshield of her car in the parking lot of the Black River Barn restaurant in Randolph on Oct. 11, several other people reported similar messages left for them.
Officials said they include a 17-year-old female and her mother who found a graphic Polaroid photo and extremely explicit message at a QuickChek in Mount Arlington on Sept. 30, and an adult at a restaurant in Rockway Township in June.
An investigation by Randolph police led to charges against Thomas Hughes, 74, of the Budd Lake section of Mount Olive.
⬛ NJ gov race now a dead heat: Latest poll
Less than two weeks before election day and with early in-person voting set to begin in three days, the race for New Jersey governor has tightened to a dead heat according to the latest Rutgers-Eagleton Poll.
The poll still shows Democrat Mikie Sherrill holding a five point lead over Republican Jack Ciattarelli, but pollsters say that is within the polls margin of error.
Fifty percent say they would vote for Sherrill if the election were held today, 45% say they would vote for Ciattarelli, 3% say they would vote for neither or someone else, and 2% are unsure.
There are notable differences in other key demographics, including a sharp gender gap, with women 18 points more likely than men to say they would vote for Sherrill and 16 points less likely to vote for Ciattarelli.
"The outcome will ultimately hinge on each campaign’s turnout operation," says poll director Ashley Koning, "This is especially true in off-year elections, which are usually accompanied by comparatively smaller and less predictable electorates."
President Donald Trump continues to loom large over the race, with 52% of voters saying he is a “major factor” in their vote for governor.
⬛ New details on response to Rutgers student's critical injuries
⭕ After Rutgers student’s critical injuries, hazing probe continues
⭕ Prosecutor weighs in on who drove student for help
⭕ As house safety is studied, hazing victim family warns of "cover-up" tactics
NEW BRUNSWICK — A week after a Rutgers University student suffered life-threatening injuries at a frat house, the community still has more questions than answers.
With few details released by the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office, the public has been faced with competing narratives about what might have happened. The incident has also reopened painful questions about fraternity culture and campus safety at New Jersey’s largest university.
As the student remains hospitalized, investigators are examining whether the tragedy stemmed from hazing — now a felony under the state’s Timothy J. Piazza Law — or from unsafe housing conditions at a fraternity with a long record of violations. The outcome could test how seriously schools and prosecutors enforce anti-hazing laws and regulations.
CLICK HERE for all the confirmed facts we know about this case so far, including details being reported for the first time by New Jersey 101.5.
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