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

🔗 DHS torches Sherrill amid growing Delaney Hall showdown

🔥 Gov. Mikie Sherrill is escalating her fight with ICE over Delaney Hall, accusing federal agents of being “out of control” after protests in Newark.
⚖️ DHS is firing back hard, accusing New Jersey politicians of spreading “smears” and chasing “fundraising clicks” instead of facts.
🚨 The growing showdown over Delaney Hall is becoming a flashpoint in New Jersey’s immigration and sanctuary-state debate.

Gov. Mikie Sherrill is doubling down on her demand that ICE shut down Delaney Hall in Newark, escalating an already bitter battle between New Jersey Democrats and the Trump administration over immigration enforcement.

Speaking Tuesday at an unrelated event in Blackwood, Sherrill condemned the federal response to recent protests outside the Newark detention facility. According to NJ.com, Sherrill accused ICE agents of being “completely out of control” after protesters — including U.S. Sen. Cory Booker — were reportedly exposed to pepper spray during demonstrations outside the facility.

Sherrill said the detention center should be closed, arguing conditions and the federal response to demonstrators have raised serious concerns about transparency and public accountability.

The Department of Homeland Security responded forcefully, rejecting allegations made by Sherrill and other New Jersey Democrats.

In a statement posted by DHS, officials accused “sanctuary politicians” in New Jersey of spreading misinformation about the facility and federal immigration enforcement operations. DHS also denied claims of a hunger strike inside Delaney Hall and insisted detainees are receiving proper care.

DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin sharply criticized New Jersey officials, accusing them of exploiting the controversy for political gain.

“These politicians are more interested in fundraising clicks than facts,” Mullin said in a statement.

🔗 Nearly half of NJ schools still have lead in drinking water

⚠️ State officials say many New Jersey schools still have plumbing that can expose children to lead.
➡️ More than 115,000 lead service lines remain across New Jersey despite replacement efforts.
🔴 School districts can now apply for state grants to install certified lead water filters.

Nearly half of New Jersey schools have outdated pipes that allow dangerous levels of lead to leach into drinking water for students and staff, according to the state Department of Education.

In 2021, the state mandated that all lead service lines in New Jersey must be replaced within the following decade. These pipes that deliver water to homes and other buildings were soldered with lead before its usage was banned in the mid-1980s. An estimated 20% of all lead exposure is through drinking water, officials say.

Since then, more than 48,000 lead service lines have been replaced; around 115,000 remain, according to the state Department of Environmental Protection. Last week, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced $103 million in funding to remove thousands more lines throughout New Jersey.

However, even if every lead service line in New Jersey were removed, it wouldn't be enough to safeguard students from the dangerous effects of lead. Children are especially vulnerable to lead exposure, which causes permanent damage to developing brains. The lead action level is 15 micrograms of lead per liter of water, though no amount of lead is considered safe.

Many schools have vast indoor lead plumbing that can't be replaced unless entire chunks of the buildings are ripped out, according to Deandrah Cameron, a policy manager at New Jersey Future. That means there will always be some lead when drinking water at these schools is tested every three years.

🔗 Tinted windshields are illegal in NJ — one town cracks down

✅North Hanover police are stopping drivers with illegally tinted windshields during May
✅Many Joint Base residents come from states where windshield tint is legal
✅Police say the true goal is education not raising revenue

NORTH HANOVER — A Burlington County police department is cracking down on a unique safety issue during the month of May.

New Hanover police are participating in the annual Click It or Ticket seat belt campaign, and they're also taking on windshields that, under New Jersey law, are illegally tinted. Rear windows are perfectly legal to tint but the front window is not, despite their stylish look.

"During the daytime, you can see out one way, but the big thing is nighttime. It's like driving around with sunglasses on at night," North Hanover police Sgt. Zachary Taylor said.

Another reason for the campaign is the township's location near the Joint Base, Taylor said. Many of those stationed at the base are from states where tinted windshields are legal and may not be aware New Jersey has a different law.

🔗 Pride symbols spark debates in 2 NJ towns

🏳️‍🌈West Orange removed its rainbow steps ahead of Memorial Day events at town hall
🏳️‍🌈Activists are planning a rally before Pride Month begins
🏳️‍🌈Boonton’s mayor vetoed a measure to allow Pride flags on borough poles

Pride will not be on display in at least two New Jersey towns when Pride Month begins on June 1.

West Orange's "rainbow steps," which have been in place at town hall since 2022, were removed at the beginning of May for "necessary restoration and repair work" for safety reasons ahead of the Memorial Day commemoration, which was expected to draw large crowds. Mayor Susan McCarthy acknowledged the poor timing of the removal and said the township is working on "a meaningful Pride event in June."

The mayor's explanation did not satisfy Brielle Winslow-Majette, resident and acting executive director of Garden State Equality. She does not believe there is a plan to restore the colors to the steps. Instead, she led a group that restored the colors with chalk.

"They can wash away the rainbow, but they can’t wash away our pride," Winslow-Majette said in a video that shows people using chalk to create a rainbow on the steps.

Boonton will not be flying the Pride flag on municipal flag poles after Mayor James Lynch vetoed an ordinance approved by the town council by a 5-4 vote that would have changed the existing flag policy.

The Republican mayor said he was concerned that the ordinance would have required "virtually any flag to now be allowed, some of which residents could find offensive."

Lynch expressed support for the Pride flag and the principles of "positivity and inclusion" it stands for and flies one on the flagpole at his home. He believes that the American flag represents all.

"I stand by my belief that while we are free to display whatever we wish at our own homes, municipal flagpoles should be limited to only U.S. and military flags," Lynch said.

🔗 NJ drivers crushed as car insurance rates explode again

🚗 New Jersey drivers are getting slammed with another major hit to their wallets as auto insurance premiums keep climbing statewide.
💸 The rising cost of car insurance is adding even more pressure to families already struggling with New Jersey’s affordability crisis.
📈 A new report from the New Jersey Monitor shows New Jersey is seeing some of the steepest insurance increases in the nation.

For New Jersey families already buckling under the weight of sky-high property taxes, rising utility bills and grocery prices, there’s another painful expense taking a bigger bite out of household budgets: auto insurance.

A new report from the New Jersey Monitor is highlighting just how dramatically car insurance premiums are rising across the Garden State, adding yet another layer to New Jersey’s ongoing affordability crisis.

I am seeing this in my own household, where I am now paying the same amount for six months of coverage that I had been paying for a full year.

New Jersey drivers paying more for car insurance

According to the New Jersey Monitor report, New Jersey is the only state in the nation currently seeing double-digit percentage increases in auto insurance premiums. Industry analysts point to a combination of factors driving the increases, including more expensive vehicle repairs, higher medical costs, litigation expenses and new state-mandated coverage requirements.

The rising costs are staggering. Recent industry estimates place the average annual cost of full coverage auto insurance in New Jersey at more than $3,200 a year, with some estimates pushing closer to $3,500 annually.

That means many New Jersey drivers are now paying nearly $300 a month just to insure a vehicle.

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.

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You can reach him at eric.scott@townsquaremedia.com

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