Real relief on your electric bill likely years away — NJ Top News
Here's the stories you'll be talking about on the New Jersey 101.5 Morning Show on Tuesday:
🔗 NJ boardwalk slap leads to assault charges for Canadian citizen
⚠️ Police charged a 33-year-old Allenhurst woman after a July 3 boardwalk confrontation.
➡️ Investigators say she yelled at and struck a teenage girl wearing politically themed clothing.
🔴 Ocean County jail records show ICE filed a detainer after the woman's arrest.
POINT PLEASANT BEACH — A 33-year-old New Jersey woman, who is still a Canadian citizen, is accused of assaulting a teen in a recent boardwalk confrontation.
The evening incident unfolded on the Point Pleasant Beach boardwalk on Friday, July 3.
Kaitlyn Tracey of Allenhurst, was identified by investigators within days and charged with simple assault, endangering the welfare of a child, harassment and obstruction.
Tracey, who is married, yelled at and hit a female juvenile who was wearing “patriotic colored sweatpants with political wording,” police said on Monday.
Video of the outburst made the rounds before being removed from Facebook — police said it shows the defendant hitting the teen, once to the body and a slap to the face.
Comments with the since-removed video said the teen was wearing President Donald Trump-branded pants.
Police did not describe the clothing in further detail in their Monday update.
🔗 Confusion grows over fate of NJ police dog investigation
☑️The Attorney General's Office won't update the Fire Marshal K-9 Ember investigation
☑️Gloucester County official said the case is closed, but the AG will not confirm
☑️The case received renewed attention after the deaths of two Salem County Sheriff's Office K-9s
MANTUA — Has New Jersey quietly ended its investigation into the death of Gloucester County Fire Marshal K-9 Ember without filing charges? Or is the case still open?
That question has become the latest controversy surrounding the nearly four-year-old investigation after Gloucester County officials publicly said the Attorney General's Office informed them the case was over — only for the Attorney General's Office to refuse to confirm that claim and instead insist it does not discuss the status of investigations.
After New Jersey 101.5 sought an update, Attorney General's Office spokesman Dan Prochilo responded Wednesday evening with a standard statement.
"Our office has a longstanding practice of not providing status updates on investigations or publicly announcing declinations. Anyone with information about potentially criminal conduct that violates the public trust in connection with these allegations or any other matter are encouraged to contact the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability, or make a confidential report to OPIA via our tip line at 1-844-OPIA-TIP (1-844-674-2847)," Prochilo said.
That response appeared to conflict with comments attributed to Gloucester County Counsel Eric Campo.
NJ.com reported Thursday that Campo said the county had been notified by the Attorney General's Office that the investigation had ended.
Campo did not respond Friday to New Jersey 101.5's request to confirm or clarify that statement.
🔗 NJ is ‘open for business’ for nuclear power, under new law
⚡ Gov. Mikie Sherrill signed the Power NJ Act after lawmakers approved it unanimously.
➡️ Developers must secure federal financing and state approval before any project begins.
🔴 Nuclear power already provides about 40% of NJ's electricity, out of Salem County.
TRENTON – New Jersey has cleared the way for new nuclear power development with legislation signed Monday by Gov. Mikie Sherrill, following its rare, unanimous passage by state lawmakers.
Ratepayers will not pay anything until a new project is built, most likely not until a number of years to come, according to the governor during the signing ceremony.
As of July, New Jersey has two existing, operating nuclear power plants.
Salem and Hope Creek facilities are both in Salem County and together generate about 40% of the state’s electricity.
The state previously also had its first and oldest nuclear plant, Oyster Creek in Ocean County, from 1969 until it closed in 2018.
Hope Creek was first issued an operating license in 1986, while Salem Nuclear Generating Station, Unit 2 was first brought online in 1981.
Now, New Jersey is pre-approved for a third site also in Salem County, as one of six pre-approved new sites nationwide.
🔗 See why more than 100 New Jersey officers lost their jobs
⚠️ More than 650 New Jersey law enforcement officers faced major discipline in 2025, the state reports.
➡️ Over 100 officers resigned or were terminated while under investigation, including three police chiefs.
🔴 The Attorney General says the report is meant to strengthen public trust through transparency.
More than 650 police officers have been named and shamed for falling short of expectations, with issues ranging from repeated lateness to overt racism on the job.
Over 100 cops, including three chiefs of police, were terminated or resigned during an investigation in the latest annual major discipline report released by the Attorney General's Office. It covers the period from Jan. 1, 2025 through Dec. 31, 2025. The number of firings is slightly greater than last year's report, and disciplinary actions have shot up again.
The OAG said in 2025, there were 817 major discipline actions against 654 police officers, corrections officers, and other law enforcement. That's a nearly 27% spike in significant discipline from 2024, when there were 644 case actions.
“Maintaining faith in government and trust in law enforcement requires that residents know the State holds law enforcement to the highest professional standards,” Attorney General Jennifer Davenport said.
Still, it's a drop in the bucket compared to the 31,538 law enforcement officers in New Jersey, which doesn't even include correctional officers.
🔗 Dash cam shows fatal Route 1 crash in Woodbridge
☑️Dash cam video shows a car traveling about 105 mph before a fatal Route 1 crash
☑️A 17-year-old passenger and her dog were killed after the car struck a traffic light
☑️The driver is due in court July 20 for his first appearance
WOODBRIDGE — Dash cam and traffic cam videos show the fatal fiery crash of a car after it slammed into a traffic light around midnight on Feb. 19.
Mikael Salman, 18, of the Iselin section, was behind the wheel of a Nissan with New York plates as it sped south on Route 1 at an estimated 105 mph. Officer Khari Manzini followed the Nissan, which went off the highway for a minute before getting back on. Other officers joined in the pursuit, with Manzini stating that the vehicle may be headed for the Outerbridge Crossing to Staten Island.
As the Nissan speeds through a red light at Gill Lane, it hits a Buick, seriously injuring Mark Alexich, of Hamilton. The now-flaming Nissan crashes into the traffic light at full speed. Officer Manzini gets out of his vehicle and calls for Advanced Life Support to the scene. No police vehicle was involved in the crash.
A 17-year-old passenger in Salman's car, identified in a GoFundMe campaign as Karla Gamero, 17, of Edison, and her dog, were killed in the crash.
Salman was hospitalized after the crash. His first court appearance is scheduled for Monday, July 20. He is represented by attorney Jason Seidman.
New Jersey beaches suddenly becoming tent cities
Gallery Credit: Dennis Malloy
7 things NJ workers deserve for a better work-life balance
Gallery Credit: Mike Brant
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
Click here to contact an editor about feedback or a correction for this story.
More From New Jersey 101.5 FM
