Trump approval plunges in New Jersey ahead of midterms—NJ Top News
Here's the stories you'll be talking about on the New Jersey 101.5 Morning Show.
🔗 Off-duty NJ sergeant punched two men at pub, prosecutors say
⚠️ Prosecutors say an off-duty West Milford police sergeant punched two men at a pub.
❗ Sgt. Thomas Connors, 39, is charged with two counts of simple assault.
➡️ He faces up to six months in jail if convicted.
WEST MILFORD — An off-duty West Milford police sergeant is accused of punching two men in the face at a local pub in what prosecutors say was an unprovoked attack.
West Milford police Sgt. Thomas Connors, 39, was arrested on Tuesday, according to the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office, about a month after the incident. He’s charged with two counts of simple assault, a disorderly persons offense.
If convicted, he faces up to six months in jail. His next court appearance is scheduled for Nov. 19, 2026.
New Jersey 101.5 did not know Wednesday whether Connors had an attorney who could speak on his behalf.
Connors assaulted two people at a pub in Hewitt around 12:30 a.m. on Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026, according to prosecutors. He was off-duty at the time.
County detectives said they looked at surveillance footage of the attacks.
They saw Connors at the bar counter, apparently speaking with another patron standing directly in front of him.
The detectives said Connors punched the patron in the face without any clear reason, and then turned to his left and punched a second person in the face. Detectives said Connors walked out of the pub after both victims fell to the floor.
🔗 Fatal Tesla crash claims life of 16-year-old NJ e-scooter rider
🚨 A 16-year-old boy riding an e-scooter was struck and killed by a Tesla in Bridgewater.
🚗 The crash happened Tuesday evening at the intersection of Route 28 and Adamsville Road.
⚖️ Police have not announced any charges as the investigation continues.
BRIDGEWATER — Another fatal accident involving a teenager and an electric vehicle in New Jersey.
A 16-year-old boy on an e-scooter was struck and killed by a Tesla in Bridgewater on Tuesday night, according to police.
It happened around 6:30 p.m. at the intersection of Route 28 (Union Avenue) and Adamsville Road.
When police arrived at the scene, they found a disabled Tesla Model Y in the middle of the intersection and the teenager lying in the roadway, unresponsive and not breathing.
Officers immediately performed CPR and other life-saving measures, which continued until paramedics arrived. The juvenile was taken to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in Somerville, where, unfortunately, he succumbed to his injuries.
A preliminary investigation found that the Tesla, driven by a 38-year-old Bridgewater woman, was traveling westbound on Union Avenue, trying to make a left turn onto Adamsville Road. It appears that she struck the e-scooter rider as he was traveling through the intersection, police said.
The Tesla driver sustained minor injuries and was taken to a hospital for treatment.
Police have not announced any charges.
🔗 Democrats surge in NJ early voting as Trump's approval sinks to 29%
🗳️ Democrats have built a massive 305,000-ballot advantage over Republicans in New Jersey's early voting, with Election Day less than a week away.
📉 President Trump's approval rating has fallen to 29% in New Jersey, with 66% disapproving, according to a new FDU poll.
🔴 Republican turnout is down 23.5% compared with this point last year, with Democrats gaining ground even in traditionally Republican counties.
Democrats continue building a massive advantage in New Jersey's early voting as President Donald Trump's approval rating sinks to just 29% in a new Fairleigh Dickinson University poll. With less than a week until the November 3 midterm elections, Democrats have cast 305,106 more advance ballots than Republicans, according to an analysis reported by the New Jersey Globe. Of nearly 796,000 ballots already cast, 60.5% came from registered Democrats, compared with just 22.2% from Republicans. The Democratic advantage is nearly 87,000 ballots larger than at the same point last year. Republican participation is down 23.5%, while Democratic turnout has increased 7.2%.
The Democratic gains extend into traditional Republican strongholds and congressional districts represented by Republicans Tom Kean Jr., Jeff Van Drew and Chris Smith. In Kean's 7th District, Democrats have cast nearly twice as many advance ballots as Republicans. Republicans traditionally rely more heavily on Election Day turnout, meaning the early numbers alone cannot determine the election results.
Adding to Republican concerns is a new FDU poll showing Trump with just 29% approval and 66% disapproval among New Jersey voters. Only 24% of independents approve of his performance, while 67% disapprove. Even among Republicans, 20% disapprove of the president's job performance. Trump's approval is ten points lower than it was heading into the 2018 midterms, when Democrats flipped four Republican-held congressional seats in New Jersey.
🔗 NJ senator demands tougher voter safeguards after 6,600 noncitizens registered
🗳️ State Sen. Latham Tiver wants twice-yearly citizenship audits of New Jersey's voter rolls following the MVC registration scandal.
🚨 A software glitch improperly registered approximately 6,600 noncitizens, raising questions about election safeguards.
⚖️ Tiver's proposal comes as Congress subpoenas New Jersey election records and a poll shows strong support for citizenship verification.
New Jersey State Sen. Latham Tiver (R-Burlington) is proposing sweeping new voter registration safeguards following revelations that a Motor Vehicle Commission software glitch improperly registered approximately 6,600 noncitizens to vote. Tiver's Verify NJ Voters Act (S4838) would require twice-yearly citizenship audits of New Jersey's voter rolls and stronger verification of new registrations using MVC records, state and federal agency information, and other government databases. Anyone whose citizenship cannot be verified would have 30 days to provide documentation, with existing appeal rights preserved. The legislation also includes privacy protections and public reporting requirements. Gov. Mikie Sherrill's administration disclosed in July that the software error occurred between June 2023 and June 2024.
Tiver introduced the legislation October 19, just two days before the U.S. House Judiciary Committee subpoenaed New Jersey election records related to the MVC scandal, citizenship verification procedures and the state's response. The Republican senator says greater transparency is needed to restore confidence in the election system. A September Rutgers-Eagleton Poll found 71% of New Jersey adults support requiring documentary proof of citizenship to register to vote, although majorities also expressed confidence in election administration. Tiver argues the state has a responsibility to prevent improper registrations while protecting every eligible citizen's right to vote. The legislation has been introduced but has not become law.
🔗 Police warn Halloween thrill-seekers: Stay out of Clementon Park
☑️Police say anyone who enters the closed Clementon Park could face arrest
☑️A social media post is encouraging people to sneak into the park on Halloween.
☑️An auction ended Monday but plans for the property remain undisclosed
CLEMENTON — If you're planning to spend Halloween at Clementon Park & Splash World, police are warning you to think twice.
A Facebook post is challenging people to sneak into the closed park on Halloween night to "play hide and seek." But Clementon police say the 119-year-old park is not abandoned or vacant. It is still owned by IB Parks and Entertainment, and private security continues to patrol the property.
"The Clementon Police Department will be increasing patrols in and around the park throughout the weekend. Anyone found unlawfully entering or trespassing on the property will be subject to arrest and appropriate criminal charges," the department wrote.
Clementon Park Holdings, a division of Indiana Beach Amusement and Water Park, bought the park in 2021 for $2.37 million, just in time to open for the summer.
At the end of this year's season, IB announced in September that the park was permanently closing after 119 years.
The property was put up for auction on Oct. 21 with a starting bid of $1.5 million. The auction ended Monday, but the buyer and future plans for the park have not been disclosed.
The park remains mostly intact, with rides like the Thunder Drop, the Ring of Fire loop, Sea Dragon arc swing, Torpedo Rush and Pirates Landing still standing.
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