Wind project officially delayed

Here are the top New Jersey news stories for Friday:

⬛ Offshore wind project officially delayed in NJ

Danish developer Orsted has officially delayed the Ocean Wind I project off the coast of New Jersey until at least 2026.

Company officials say they did consider cancelling the project entirely, but still believe it will be profitable for them in the long run.

⬛ Franklin, Idalia rip current risk continues through Saturday

Surf in Seaside Heights (Robert Connor), red flag in Bradley Beach (Bud McCormick)

Red flags will fly again at the Jersey Shore as Hurricane Franklin continues to churn up the ocean with dangerous surf and strong rip currents into the beginning of the holiday weekend.

Franklin is several hundred miles away from New Jersey with 100 mph winds as it heads east but is expected to impact New Jersey and the East Coast through at least Saturday.

⬛ Helicopter crash kills one in South Brunswick, NJ

Helicopter crash in South Brunswick 8/31/23 (ABC 7 Eyewitness News)

SOUTH BRUNSWICK — A pilot was killed in a helicopter crashed into a body of water on Thursday afternoon.

The R-22 helicopter had taken off from Princeton Airport minutes before crashing into an area where Lake Carnegie and the Millstone River meet near the Delaware & Raritan Canal around 3:25 p.m., according to the FAA.

A South Brunswick fire captain witnessed the helicopter flying erratically just before crashing. South Brunswick Police Deputy Police Chief James Ryan said the pilot, a male, suffered "massive injuries" in the crash.

⬛ Police searching for man in sexual assault of girl at NJ pool

Walter Ulrich Memorial pool (Union County)

RAHWAY — Investigators are looking for help to find a man who sexually assaulted a young girl at a public pool in North Jersey.

It happened last month at the county-run Walter E. Ulrich Memorial Pool in Rahway, according to the Union County Prosecutor's Office. The office's Special Victims Unit is investigating.

The victim, a juvenile girl, was in the pool on Sunday, July 22, according to prosecutors.

⬛ NJ police increase reward to find man missing for a year

Edgar Pelaez (Clifton police)

CLIFTON – A reward has been posted for information to help locate a man missing for over a year.

Resident Edgar Pelaez, 39, is a father of two with a medical condition who was last seen in the area of Hoover Avenue in Passaic in July 2022. He was also known to spend time in the Botany Village section of Clifton.

Police said Pelaez is approximately 5 feet 4 inches and weighed approximately 125 lbs at the time of his disappearance. His medical condition was not disclosed.

NJ street fairs return for the 2023 spring season

All New Jersey street fairs are listed in date order. Please note that some dates have now passed for the spring season, but future dates are listed for those returning later in the year. Click/tap on the links for each street fair below for more info.

Top NJ contributions to President Biden's re-election campaign

In New Jersey. these are the top campaign contributors (of at least $2,000) to donate to President Biden's re-election as of June 30, 2023. The list also includes contributions made to the Democratic National Committee, which is also spending on Biden's re-election. Donations to the DNC are labeled as such.