Here's the stories you'll be talking about on the New Jersey 101.5 Morning Show with Eric Scott on Tuesday:

⬛ NJ police step in after violent hockey fight shocks tournament

☑️ Teams fought during a tournament match
☑️ Police are investigating
☑️ Players and parents were asked to reflect on their actions

EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP — A fight at a youth ball hockey tournament involving parents and players Saturday afternoon has led to suspensions and apologies.

Video posted to social media shows a fight in the rink at the American Ball Hockey Alliance Veterans Memorial Invitational during a matchup between the Maple Shade and Philadelphia Cadet A teams.

As a player drives down the rink to score, he gets bumped as he approaches the goal. The player then turns around and hits the opposing player.

Other players run to the aid of their respective teammates and begin pushing and shoving each other. The refs and coaches try to break it up but other players go one-on-one and throw punches. Things eventually calm down and the fighting stops.

Egg Harbor Township police Capt. Cherie Burgan said officers responded to the fight and the investigation continues.

⬛ These NJ police are cracking down on driver phone use

👮 NJ police crackdown
📵 Distracted driving factor in crashes
🚔 Officers get patrol grants

TRENTON — Motorists should be aware of a massive crackdown on distracted driving in New Jersey.

The campaign, “Put the Phone Away or Pay,” runs for the entire month of April.

State Police have been given over $211,800 to enforce bans on hand-held phone use and other distracted driving along the New Jersey Turnpike, Garden State Parkway and other highways.

Click the headline to see which 158 local law enforcement agencies are sharing more than $1 million in grants for boosted patrols.

⬛ Tornado in New Jersey?

Cell phones across portions of Middlesex and Monmouth counties sounded the alarm for a possible tornado just after 9:30 last night.

Chief Meteorologist Dan Zarrow says an area of tight rotation was briefly visible on radar in the area around Monroe Township, Englishtown, and Manalapan at that time.

The National Weather Service said no damage has been reported, and they are unlikely to complete an official storm survey to determine if a tornado touched down.

⬛ Who will Trump endorse for NJ governor?

The most important Republican in New Jersey's race for governor this year might well be a part-time resident of Bedminster who burnished his reputation and his brand near the Atlantic City Boardwalk.

“Donald Trump is the X factor in this GOP primary,” said Ben Dworkin, director of the Rowan Institute for Public Policy & Citizenship. “His endorsement right now could make or break, depending on to whom he gives it.”

In one of only two states with a race for governor this year — Virginia is the other — the general election will be closely watched for clues about whether blue state voters have been won over or repelled by Trump’s leadership. Trump, who built his brand as an Atlantic City casino owner and still owns property in New Jersey, including the Bedminster golf club, narrowed the margin between 2020 and 2024 but still lost the state, and Democrats maintain firm control.

The GOP field dwindled from five candidates to four this past week when Ed Durr, a former state senator and vocal Trump supporter, dropped out. Durr made national news in 2021 when he shocked state Senate President Steve Sweeney, a Democrat, by winning in their southern New Jersey district. A furniture truck driver new to elected office, Durr said in a statement he was ending his campaign so radio host and fellow Trump supporter Bill Spadea could defeat “never Trumpers” in the race.

Both Spadea and Jack Ciattarelli, the 2021 GOP nominee for governor who lost by roughly three percentage points to term-limited Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy, have said critical things of Trump in the past, but both have embraced him lately.

⬛ Residents stunned by 36% property tax increase

With Gov. Phil Murphy's administration now allowing school districts to go over the state's 2% cap on property taxes without voter approval, we are seeing double digit increases in some towns due to cuts in school funding.

Residents in Plainfield were just informed their tax bill could be going up a whopping 36%.

That has put Mayor Adrian Mapp and the schools board in direct conflict.

Plainfield is one of the poorest cities in the state. Mapp called the proposal "a shocking abdication of the BOE’s duty to be responsible stewards of public funds."

The school board has already given preliminary approval to the plan.

Plainfield Board of Education business administrator, Cameron Cox, said during the meeting, "I know that is not an easy pill to swallow," but indicated the school board has no choice.

⬛ These 20 school districts in NJ about to have funds cut by feds

✂ Feds claw back COVID-era funds
✂ Funding troubles mount for NJ schools
✂ 20 districts in NJ could lose fed funds

The Trump administration may cancel millions in funding to 20 school districts in New Jersey, which is already struggling to keep schools open without imposing devastating property tax increases.

Gov. Phil Murphy said Monday that the federal funding cut would affect "critical infrastructure projects" for "student health and safety."

The cuts would be worth $85 million.

The Patch reported that the funding cuts targeted the pandemic-era American Rescue Plan Act and Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations.

In a letter obtained by Patch, Secretary of Education Linda McMahon said districts would have to apply for project extensions to demonstrate why the COVID funds are still needed.

Murphy called the cuts "reckless and irresponsible."

Start your day with up-to-the-minute news, traffic and weather for the Garden State.

Eric Scott hosts the New Jersey 101.5 Morning Show 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.

Eric Scott is the senior political director and anchor for New Jersey 101.5. You can reach him at eric.scott@townsquaremedia.com

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