Yuck! Tar ball mystery solved

Here are the top New Jersey news stories for Monday:

⬛ NJ Shore mystery solved! Nasty tar balls finally traced

Teams clean tar balls from a Monmouth County beach (USCG), tar ball from Seven Presidents Park (Clean Ocean Action)

The tar balls were first found at Seven Presidents Park in Long Branch and in Monmouth Beach on Nov. 27 and reported to Clean Ocean Action.

Similar tar balls were discovered on on the shoreline north of Coney Island Creek in the Gravesend Bay area of Brooklyn, as well Fort Wadsworth Beach on Staten Island.

⬛ NJ bill: Apply for college aid or you can't graduate high school

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New Jersey officials know that filling them out can be complicated, but they want to make sure students get it done.

Under a bill advanced by the Senate Education Committee, a high school student would not be able to graduate until a financial aid application for higher education has been completed and submitted.

⬛ Body fished from Hackensack River spurs homicide investigation

Authorities on the Hackensack River 12/9/23 (ABC 7 Eyewitness News)

Dive teams recovered the body of a man from the Hackensack River early Saturday afternoon, the Hudson County Prosecutor's Office said.

Secaucus police were called about the body around 12:45 p.m., officials said

⬛ Is it a good time yet to buy a home in New Jersey?

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It's still very much a seller's housing market in the Garden State, and experts advise: if you have flexibility, don't make the major purchase just yet.

It's a dark market for buyers, but there's a tiny light shining through it for sometime next year.

⬛ Weekend deaths at 2 New Jersey homes under investigation

Egg Harbor Township police vehicle (Google Maps)

EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP — Authorities are separately investigating two deaths at a home in Atlantic County and a killing at a home in Bergen County.

The two scenes were discovered less than 24 hours apart, though there is no indication from authorities that they are connected.

9 NJ counties with highest home values

Gallery Credit: Jeff Deminski/Townsquare Media

LOOK: Retail workers share 21 of the worst things customers do, especially during holidays

Buzzfeed conducted a list of comments left by retail employees about what they hate most about certain customers, especially during the holidays. Here's what they had to say, plus additional comments provided by customer service retail workers in New Jersey.

Gallery Credit: Mike Brant

NJ 'perv' teachers, coaches busted in the past two years

There have been a number of educators, coaches and private teachers facing criminal charges for sexual offenses around New Jersey, between 2023 and 2022 alone.

Gallery Credit: Erin Vogt

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New Jersey's First News with Eric Scott is the longest running news program in New Jersey. Eric Scott began hosting the program in 1991.

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New Jersey's First News with Eric Scott is the winner of the prestigious National Edward R. Murrow Award for Best Newscast.

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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