HOWELL TOWNSHIP, NJ – A house fire at 13 Woodstown Drive prompted a rapid response from the Howell Township Police Department at approximately 3:35 PM today.
Upon arrival, officers reported the residence was fully engulfed in flames. Thankfully, all occupants evacuated safely without injuries.
Firefighting units from Adelphia Fire, Squankum Fire, Southard Fire, Jackson Station 55, and Freehold Township Independent Fire worked together to extinguish the fire. Support was also provided by Howell Township Police EMS and Howell Township First Aid.
Currently, the Howell Township Fire Bureau and the Monmouth County Fire Marshal are investigating the cause of the fire. No injuries were reported among the responding emergency personnel.
- How much are beach towns making on badges and access fees? New law requires detailed reporting
Trenton, NJ – A bill introduced in the New Jersey Assembly would require municipalities that operate public beaches and charge beach tag fees to publicly disclose detailed financial information about their beach operations.
Assemblywoman Margie Donlon, M.D., of Monmouth County introduced the measure June 12.
Assembly Bill 5755 mandates that shore towns include specific cost and revenue data for their beaches in the public access plans required under state land use law.
Key Points
- Assembly Bill 5755 requires municipalities with paid public beaches to disclose itemized financial details in their public access plans.
- The information would include prior-year expenses, revenues, and plans for any surplus funds.
- The measure was introduced by Assemblywoman Margie Donlon on June 12.
Financial transparency for municipal beaches
Under the proposal, any municipality that owns and operates a beach where access requires the purchase of a beach tag must report an itemized budget of actual operational and maintenance costs from the previous season. The town would also be required to disclose total revenues from beach tag sales and other beach-related sources.
In addition to past data, the bill calls for a projection of expected costs for the upcoming beach season. If a municipality collects more in revenue than it spends, the plan must explain how the excess funds will be used.
Amendment to municipal land use law
The measure amends the “Municipal Land Use Law,” which governs the contents of local master plans. The law already requires municipalities with tidal shorelines to maintain a public access plan detailing how they provide and protect public access to the waterfront. Donlon’s bill expands that requirement to include a financial disclosure component for beach operations supported by beach tag fees.
Public accountability for beach management
By adding financial transparency to the planning process, the bill seeks to make information about beach finances readily available to the public. The new disclosure would be included in each town’s master plan documents, ensuring accessibility for residents and state regulators.
Implementation and scope
If enacted, the law would take effect immediately. It would apply to any municipality with a municipally owned beach where the public is charged a fee for access, regardless of size or location. The bill does not alter how towns manage their beaches but adds a reporting requirement to promote accountability in the use of public beach revenue.
- New Jersey could unseal expunged records to be used for immigration cases
Trenton, NJ – A new bill introduced in the New Jersey Senate would allow individuals to access their own expunged criminal records for use in immigration or naturalization matters.
Sen. Benjie E. Wimberly, representing Bergen and Passaic counties, introduced the legislation Monday.
The measure, known as S4848, proposes an amendment to existing state expungement law to ensure those with cleared records can still obtain them when needed for federal immigration proceedings.
Key Points
- Bill S4848 allows access to expunged records for immigration or naturalization purposes.
- The bill was introduced by Senator Benjie E. Wimberly on November 10.
- The proposal amends N.J.S.2C:52-15 to add a specific provision for immigration-related record requests.
What the bill would do
Under current New Jersey law, once an expungement is granted, criminal justice agencies remove the records and must respond to inquiries by stating there is “no record information.” Those records cannot be used or released for any purpose except in limited circumstances defined by law.
S4848 adds a new provision permitting the release of expunged records to the person who is the subject of the expungement—or to that person’s representative—if the request is made for an immigration or naturalization matter. The term “immigration or naturalization matter” would carry the same definition as provided under existing state statute, C.2C:21-31.
Background and rationale
According to the bill statement, the change is intended to address situations in which individuals whose records have been expunged are unable to access documentation required for immigration or citizenship processes. In some cases, federal authorities may still request proof of prior arrests or convictions even if those records have been cleared under state law.
The bill clarifies that expunged records can be made available upon request to ensure that individuals involved in such proceedings can provide the necessary documentation.
Implementation details
If enacted, the legislation would take effect immediately. It authorizes the Attorney General and the Administrative Director of the Courts to take any needed administrative steps in advance to prepare for its implementation. The measure does not alter how expungements are granted but adds an additional circumstance under which expunged records may be accessed.
Next steps in the Legislature
S4848 has been introduced in the State Senate for consideration during the 2024–2025 legislative session. The bill will proceed through the standard legislative process, beginning with committee review before any potential floor action.
- New Jersey Dems Want Extreme New Tax on Tourism that Could Cripple an Entire Industry
The New Jersey Senate Transportation Committee has approved a bill that would impose new taxes on what lawmakers are calling “non-essential flights” across the state.
The measure, Senate Bill 4639, advanced with committee amendments on November 10, 2025, and aims to create a new source of funding for New Jersey Transit while discouraging luxury helicopter and seaplane use.
Under the bill, patrons of non-essential flights would be taxed $100 per seat or $400 per flight, whichever amount is greater.
That tax would most likely kill the industry, putting recreational aerial tourism out of reach for most.
The tax would apply to any non-essential flight departing from or arriving at a licensed aviation facility in the state, including airports, heliports, and helistops. Operators of these flights would be responsible for collecting the tax and submitting it to the New Jersey Division of Taxation on a quarterly basis.
The bill defines a “non-essential flight” as one taken on a helicopter or seaplane that is not operated for public safety, government, medical, or charitable purposes. Exemptions include emergency medical transports, heavy-lift operations supporting construction or infrastructure, research and educational missions, and flights operated by 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations in furtherance of their mission. Flights operated on behalf of federal or military authorities, state or local governments, news organizations, and licensed healthcare providers would also be excluded.
In addition to the patron tax, the legislation extends the state’s sales and use tax to charges for non-essential flights, ending a long-standing exemption for transportation services. The funds collected from both taxes would be deposited into a newly established “Non-Essential Flight Tax Fund.” The New Jersey Department of the Treasury would manage the fund, and all revenues would be appropriated annually to support New Jersey Transit’s operational expenses.
The committee made several changes to the bill before advancing it, including increasing the tax amount from $50 to $100 per seat and from $200 to $400 per flight.
Lawmakers also expanded the tax to cover all non-essential helicopter and seaplane flights rather than just sightseeing tours, and added broader exemptions to include flights operated on behalf of public agencies, hospitals, and media outlets. A proposed 3% assessment on gross receipts from tourist flight operations was removed during the amendment process.
Supporters of the bill say it targets luxury and recreational flights that contribute to noise, emissions, and congestion without serving essential transportation needs. They argue that the tax will promote fairness while generating much-needed revenue for the state’s public transit system. The measure now heads to the full Senate for further consideration.
- Democrats push bill to shield non-tenured teachers as NJ school funding cuts deepen
TRENTON, N.J. – Facing mounting backlash from educators and parents, New Jersey Democrats are moving to protect non-tenured teachers from being swept up in a new wave of budget-driven layoffs triggered by flaws in the state’s school aid formula.
Senate Democrats advanced a bill this week that would overhaul the process for how school boards handle the nonrenewal of non-tenured employees, granting them expanded rights and formal hearings before termination.
The measure, Senate Bill 4488, cleared the Senate Education Committee on Monday with strong support from the majority, setting up a floor vote later this month as school districts brace for more cuts tied to reductions in state aid.
Key Points
- Senate Bill 4488 would require formal hearings and written decisions for non-tenured staff facing nonrenewal
- Districts across New Jersey are cutting staff due to reduced state aid allocations under the current formula
- Democrats say the bill ensures due process; critics warn it could tie the hands of local school boards
Lawmakers aim to curb arbitrary dismissals
Under current law, non-tenured teachers facing nonrenewal may request an informal “Donaldson hearing” before their local board of education to plead for reinstatement. Senate Bill 4488 would replace that process with a formal hearing requiring the presence of a board attorney, written evidence submitted in advance, and a written decision outlining the board’s reasoning.
Sponsors argue that the change ensures due process and accountability in personnel decisions that often occur behind closed doors. The bill would also prohibit board members from turning off their video during virtual hearings except during formal recesses, a provision aimed at maintaining transparency.
Fallout from state aid cuts drives urgency
Dozens of districts have announced layoffs or hiring freezes since midyear aid adjustments slashed millions from local budgets, hitting poorer and mid-sized communities hardest. Non-tenured teachers—often newer hires—have been the first to go, raising concerns about staff morale and instructional stability.
Education advocates say the current aid distribution model, known as S2, has created “winners and losers,” shifting resources away from growing suburban and rural districts while leaving administrators with little flexibility to balance their budgets.
Critics say bill adds bureaucracy amid crisis
While teacher unions praised the measure as a step toward fairness, several school board associations warned it could complicate personnel management and slow down budget responses. They argue that mandating formal hearings, attorneys, and written decisions would burden already stretched districts without addressing the underlying funding problem.
Republican lawmakers have called the proposal “political cover” for Democrats who supported the state aid formula now squeezing local budgets. “They’re trying to protect teachers from a crisis they helped create,” one GOP legislator said following the committee vote.
Next steps in the legislature
The bill now heads to the full Senate for consideration. If passed, it would mark one of the most significant changes to New Jersey’s teacher employment laws in years, redefining how districts handle staff nonrenewals and setting a new precedent for transparency in education governance.
For hundreds of non-tenured teachers awaiting contract decisions, the legislation could mean the difference between a job next fall—or a pink slip.
- Lottery player walks into NJ store and walks out a millionaire
Long Branch man scores final $1 million prize from NJ Lottery scratch-off
LONG BRANCH, NJ – A Monmouth County resident ended a statewide scratch-off race last week after purchasing the final $1 million top prize in the New Jersey Lottery’s $1,000,000 Spectacular game.
The $10 ticket was sold at Fine Fare Supermarket, located at 320 Third Avenue in Long Branch, and the win was officially reported on Friday.
This prize marks the fourth and final $1 million payout in the now-closed scratch-off game, bringing the game’s jackpot distribution to a close. The winner, whose identity has not been disclosed by lottery officials, secured the life-changing payout by uncovering the grand prize during a routine ticket purchase.
The $1,000,000 Spectacular has been a popular $10 scratch-off game, drawing thousands of players across the state during its run. With all top-tier prizes now claimed, the game will no longer be distributed.
Since launching in 1970, the New Jersey Lottery has contributed approximately $34.7 billion to state programs. Under a 30-year agreement enacted in 2017, current lottery proceeds help fund the public employee pension system.
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Key Points
- Monmouth County player won the final $1 million prize in the $1,000,000 Spectacular game
- Winning ticket was sold at Fine Fare Supermarket in Long Branch
- Scratch-off game now has no remaining top prizes availabl