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

⬛ NEW JERSEY MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME RANKS AMONG THE HIGHEST IN THE USA

• New Jersey boasts the second highest median household income in the United States at $99,781, according to research from RemotePeople.
• Despite this high average, significant income disparities exist within the state, with Atlantic County's median income at $66,473 and Cumberland County's at $58,397.
• All neighboring states have lower median household incomes, with New York at $82,095 and Pennsylvania at $73,824.

There are many positives to living in New Jersey. From the beautiful beach towns to enjoy during the summer months to the numerous forests and farms to be appreciated during the spring and fall months.

But the biggest negative in New Jersey is the cost of living. NJ has the third-highest Household Expenses in the United States and New Jersey residents pay an average of $8,165 more annually than what the Median American Household pays for their collective bills.

But the latest research reveals that while New Jersey's cost of living is high, the average NJ resident can afford the costs associated with living in The Garden State.

⬛ NJ cops stop teen with 'ghost' gun at school after making threats

✅ A student received a threat via text on Monday night
✅ The threat was reported Tuesday morning
✅ The student who made the threat was found with a gun

WOODBRIDGE — A teen was found with a loaded untraceable gun after a classmate reported receiving threatening texts from him.

The student who received the texts on Monday night went to Woodbridge High School Tuesday morning and reported the threats to school administrators, according to Middlesex County Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone.

The 17-year-old student's belongings were searched and a loaded gun was found in his possession. Woodbridge police confiscated the gun and took the student into custody.
The student was charged as a juvenile with unlawful possession of a firearm, possession of a firearm for an unlawful purpose, terroristic threats, possession of a firearm on school property, and possession of a ghost gun.

The teen is being held at the Middlesex County Juvenile Detention Center.

⬛ NJ driver, 26, shot gun from her Mercedes, cops say

🔺Mercedes-Benz driver arrested
🔺Woman charged with attempted murder

A 26-year-old Somerset County woman has been accused of trying to kill another driver, firing shots from a moving Mercedes-Benz along Route 22 last month.

Juliette A. Piscopo, of Green Brook, has been charged with attempted murder for what police say was a road rage incident in North Plainfield.

After 9 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 2, North Plainfield police responded to a 911 call of a vehicle struck by gunfire.

The victim, a North Plainfield resident, reported that while driving eastbound on North Avenue and Madison Avenue in Dunellen around 8:45 p.m., a dark Mercedes-Benz tried to merge into their lane of travel.

⬛ Mom of 4 strangled to death as kids hid – Chilling 911 confession

🔻NJ man called 911, admitted to killing
🔻Wife allegedly killed by spouse, with kids home
🔻Marriage was breaking up, cops say

SOUTH TOMS RIVER — Four children hid in a bedroom as their father killed their mother, officials said.

Gustavo Juarez-Perez, 38, has been charged with the murder of Cheyanne Juarez, 30, both of South Toms River.

Juarez-Perez is the person who called 911 on March 8, telling dispatchers “I killed my wife.”

When asked what they had fought about, he told dispatchers the victim had admitted to cheating on him and he lost control.

Arriving at the Hummel Drive residence after 9 p.m., officers found the victim unresponsive with a belt still around her neck and Juarez-Perez wearing blood-stained clothes.

Four children, ranging in age from 3 to 14, were found unharmed.

⬛ NJ mayor charged with drinking while driving with toddler

🚨 Lumberton police were sent video showing the mayor driving
🚨 Her 2-year-old son was in a car seat
🚨 An open container of alcohol was found in her car, according to police

LUMBERTON — The mayor of a Burlington County township was charged with driving under the influence after she admitted to drinking after picking up her 2-year-old son from a child care center on St. Patrick's Day.

According to the complaint and affidavit obtained by New Jersey 101.5, police were provided with video showing Mayor Gina LaPlaca "carelessly driving a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol" with the toddler secured in a rear car seat.

The video showed LaPlaca driving erratically, not staying in her lane and nearly hitting a utility pole, police said.

Police located LaPlaca and her vehicle at her home, where she admitted to drinking. She told officers she had just picked her son up from daycare, according to the affidavit.

LaPlaca was also charged with driving with an open container of alcohol or unsealed cannabis in her motor vehicle, careless driving likely to endanger a person or property, reckless driving, crossing over marked lines in traffic, and driving with an expired license. She also faces a charge of abuse/neglect of a child by caretaker and cruelty and neglect of children.

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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