Here’s the stories you’ll be talking about on the New Jersey 101.5 Morning Show with Eric Scott on Friday:
⬛ MAGA struggles as independent voters shift away from Trump
Mikie Sherrill, Donald Trump, Jack Ciattarelli
✅ Donald Trump performed well in New Jersey in 2024 presidential race
✅ New poll finds support for MAGA waning
✅ What does it mean for NJ’s race for governor?
Donald Trump did not win New Jersey in 2024, but his support surged compared to the 2020 presidential race. In a state where he lost big to Joe Biden, Trump came within 6 points of Kamala Harris on his way to victory.
One of the key reasons Trump did so well in New Jersey and nationally in 2024 was a big boost in support from Latino communities.
Trump more than doubled his support among Latino voters compared to his first White House run in 2016.
That support may have been short-lived.
A new poll shows support for Trump’s MAGA policies is dropping in New Jersey, especially among independent voters, and that could have a profound impact on this years race for governor.
⬛ First U.S. human case in decades raises alarm over screwworms
Get ready to get grossed out all about screwworms
A disturbing species of parasitic fly has been creeping North, after being declared eradicated decades ago in the U.S.
New World Screwworm, while still in their larval stage, have the ability to eat through live tissue.
If that sounds horrifying to any non-scientist, it is indeed very unusual, according to Rutgers University Entomology Chair Dina Fonseca.
Most flies are associated with either excrement (poop) or decomposing tissue.
Myiasis is the official term for such a parasitic infestation of fly larvae in living tissue.
“I tell my students, whatever you do, do not Google ‘myasis’ because you’ll have nightmares,” Fonseca said.
The infection begins when a female fly lays eggs in an open wound or other entry point.
The flies have been causing alarm in Texas, as they can decimate herds of cattle.
And recently, the first U.S. human case in over 50 years was confirmed in Maryland, in a person who had traveled to South America.
So, is this a cause for concern in New Jersey?
Jeep after crashing into the Planet Fitness in Elizabeth, exterior after crash 8/26/25
☑️ Four people inside Planet Fitness in Elizabeth were injured and one person killed
☑️ The driver of a Jeep that went through the wall will not be charged
☑️ The injured have been released from hospitals
ELIZABETH — The woman behind the wheel of a Jeep that crashed through the front of Planet Fitness on Tuesday will not be charged with a crime.
City spokeswoman Ruby Contreras told New Jersey 101.5 that the 69-year-old woman is cooperating with the investigation but did not disclose what may have caused the red Jeep to go through the front windows of the facility on Newark and Pennsylvania avenues.
The name of the victim, a 72-year-old man, is not being disclosed at the request of his family.
All four who were injured in the crash, including a 59-year-old man who was injured while using a treadmill, are no longer hospitalized, according to Cotreras.
FAFSA forms for the 2026-27 academic year will be ready by Oct. 1, according to the U.S. Department of Education (Canva)
💲 The FAFSA form for the 2026-27 school year will be ready by Oct. 1
💲 Students and parents can, however, apply during the beta testing
💲 If you submit during beta, there is no need to reapply
Do you have kids in college and need to file the FAFSA for next year?
Good news.
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid will be available in October for the 2026-2027 academic year, according to the U.S. Department of Education.
The FAFSA form is currently in beta for early testing, but will be available to everyone by Oct. 1.
A woman drowned at a home in Montague early Tuesday
🔴 Drowning at a Montague home under investigation
🔴 The victim was seen alive the night before her death
🔴 Medical examiners are still trying to figure out what led to her death
MONTAGUE — The drowning of a woman in a hot tub at a home in Sussex County is under investigation, according to authorities.
The Sussex County Prosecutor’s Office and State Police found the 66-year-old victim at a home on River Road in Montague around 6 a.m. Tuesday morning, according to SCPO Acting Assistant Prosecutor Jonathan McMeen.
Authorities have not confirmed where exactly the drowning happened, though NJ.com reports it was at a single-story home located a half-mile northeast of New Mashipacong Road.
2025 9/11 Commemorations in New Jersey (listed alphabetically)
Not responsible for typographical errors.
Gallery Credit: Dan Alexander
Get to know the lighthouses of NJ: Photos
A look at New Jersey’s lighthouses and fun facts, as well as those who participate in the Lighthouse Challenge of New Jersey.
Gallery Credit: Mike Brant
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.
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