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

⬛ Early numbers in NJ governor race could surprise both parties

If you're a supporter of Mikie Sherrill's bid to be the Garden State's next governor, you loved the headline number in the newest Rutgers-Eagleton poll released on July 2.

In a survey of over 600 adults, Sherrill, a Democrat, leads her Republican rival and 2021 GOP nominee Jack Ciattarelli by 20 points, 51%-31%, with just 13% undecided.

When including those who are "leaning" toward supporting a candidate, Sherrill's lead increases by 1 point and a 56%-35% edge.

In addition to her head-to-head lead, Sherrill's statewide favorables sit at 50%-21%, while Ciattarelli's are underwater at 33%-42%.

The congresswoman is winning independent voters by a decent margin and polls better than her opponent on most issues, though she and Ciattarelli are essentially tied when it comes to who those polled think will address New Jersey's affordability woes.

"Early polling on the governor’s race should serve as a baseline or a barometer of how voters are feeling in the moment... not as some crystal ball predicting the future," cautioned Ashley Koning, an assistant research professor and director of the Eagleton Center for Public Interest Polling at Rutgers University-New Brunswick.

"A lot can happen between now and November, and we know this gap will very likely narrow in the next several months."

⬛ Harassment call at Outback Steakhouse ends with NJ man's arrest

WAYNE — A 60-year-old township man is back in trouble for allegedly harassing and threatening restaurant staffers at a local Outback Steakhouse.

Before his recent arrest, Khalil W. Bakho, of Wayne, was busted on similar charges in December 2020 for threatening some pizzeria workers with a knife.

He pleaded guilty to a weapons offense and was sentenced to prison, stemming from that encounter.

Wayne man accused of harassing teen worker at Outback

On June 27 around 8:30 p.m., Wayne Township police responded to the area of the steakhouse restaurant in a shopping center along Berdan Avenue.

Other workers said that Bakho had entered and started following around a juvenile female employee, with a dollar bill hanging from his mouth.

Police said when others intervened and a manager escorted the man out, Bakho pulled out a knife and threatened to kill him.

⬛ Accident? Criminal charges for girl, 12, who shot H.S. athlete

🚨 Xyere Brooks was a star football player at KIPP Cooper Norcross High School

CAMDEN — A 12-year-old girl who handled a firearm was charged in the shooting death of a standout high school football player.

KIPP Cooper Norcross High School student Xyere Brooks, 16, was shot June 6 during an afternoon gathering at a friend's house on Thorn Street. He was taken to a hospital and later pronounced dead.

After the shooting, the family described the shooting as accidental.

The gun had been brought to the house by a 16-year-old male. The girl, visiting from Wilmington, Delaware, handled the gun and “recklessly” fired it, according to Camden County Prosecutor Grace MacAulay.

The girl was charged as a juvenile with second-degree manslaughter. She and the other boy are charged with second-degree unlawful possession of a weapon. Both have been released from custody, according to MacAulay.

⬛ Major school district in NJ about to go bankrupt

🔴 Toms River refuses to pass budget amid $175 million in state cuts
🔴 School officials won't follow orders to stop programs
🔴 Taxes would need to go up by nearly 13%

TOMS RIVER — The largest school district in Ocean County, on the verge of declaring bankruptcy due to funding cuts, is slamming the Murphy administration for demanding that it stop student services.

On Monday, the Toms River school board refused to pass a budget for the upcoming fiscal year.

The district, which serves over 14,600 students, has lost $175 million in recent years due to changes in the state funding formula.

Ashley Lamb, the school board president, said the district would have to raise taxes by 12.9% to balance the budget. And that's on top of a 9.3% tax hike the year before, plus selling off $20 million in assets.

Lamb said the tax increases were "unconscionable."

"Our district has already endured devastating cuts – we've lost over 250 teacher and staff positions and seen class sizes increase to critical levels. Enough is enough," Lamb said.

Toms River Regional School District plans to file for bankruptcy

Instead of raising taxes to generate $22.3 million in revenue, the Toms River school board has approved a resolution to move forward with filing for bankruptcy.

The resolution allows district officials to meet with bankruptcy attorneys and begin filing for Chapter 9 federal bankruptcy protection.

Bankruptcy would protect the district from creditors while school officials work on a debt adjustment plan, according to school officials.

In the meantime, the school board also passed a resolution directing the district to continue operating as normal with no interruptions to education programs.

The resolution flies directly in the face of orders from the Murphy administration.

⬛ NJ man cleared in ‘stand your ground’ shooting of home intruder

HAMILTON (Atlantic) — A township homeowner will not face criminal charges after shooting and killing a naked intruder in a bizarre home invasion four months ago.

The morning of March 2, Hamilton Township police responded to Hamilton Greene Apartments for a report of a burglary in progress.

In a 911 call just before 7:30 a.m., the homeowner said the intruder was at gunpoint, standing at the bottom of a set of stairs.

The homeowner had fired a warning shot, but the intruder still refused to leave, as he removed his clothes inside the stranger’s residence.

As the 30-year-old intruder began to climb the stairs, the homeowner fired once more, striking the man in the chest, killing him.

At the time of the incident, the homeowner told police his front door was not locked.

The intruder was later identified as Mays Landing resident Kevin Schmalz.

⬛ Staten Island, NEW JERSEY?

❓ NJ Republicans want to annex Staten Island
❓ Staten Island would become part of the Garden State
❓ Would NJ want Staten Island?

Republicans in the New Jersey State Assembly want to make Staten Island part of the Garden State.

Following the suprise victory of Socialist Zohran Mamdani in the Democratic Primary for New York City Mayor, GOP members of the NJ legislature want to give residents of the only Republican leaning boro a safe haven.

Staten Island tends to be more Republican then the rest of New York City and voted for Donald Trump in the last presidential election.

New Jersey Assembly Republicans have introduced a resolution to create a “Special Committee on Staten Island Annexation.”

Political observers have noted similarities to President Trump's idea of making Canada the 51st American state.

The effort also follows a move by Sen. Mike Testa to rename Deleware Bay "The Bay of New Jersey" in the same way Trump renamed the Gulf of Mexico the Gulf of America.

But would New Jersey residents want Staten Island?

It might give us a place to send our garbage.

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.

You can reach him at eric.scott@townsquaremedia.com

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