Another business flees Mikie Sherrill’s New Jersey—NJ Top News
Here's the stories you'll be talking about on the New Jersey 101.5 Morning Show.
🔗 Trenton collected more than expected — could NJ taxpayers get a check?
💰 Sen. Anthony Bucco wants unexpected state revenue returned to taxpayers through one-time tax credits or rebates.
📈 July major tax collections hit $3.63 billion, up 9.2% from July 2025, although Treasury cautions the numbers cover portions of two fiscal years.
🏛️ Republicans face steep political odds: Democrats control 57 of 80 Assembly seats and 25 of 40 Senate seats.
New Jersey takes in more money than expected. What should Trenton do with it?
Senate Republican Leader Anthony Bucco has a simple answer: Give it back.
Bucco is preparing legislation that would create an “Unanticipated Revenue Fund,” requiring qualifying revenue collected above budget estimates to be set aside for taxpayer relief instead of becoming available for additional government spending.
The proposal comes after a strong start to the fiscal year.
Major state tax collections totaled $3.632 billion in July, an increase of $306.4 million — or 9.2% — compared with July 2025. Treasury cautions that July is treated as a 13th month for accounting purposes because some collections apply to the fiscal year that ended June 30.
Still, Bucco argues that when revenue exceeds expectations, taxpayers should benefit.
“Unexpected revenue is not Trenton’s money. It’s not the Democrats’ money. It is the taxpayers’ money,” Bucco said.
🔗 Former NJ fire chief, police officer faces new criminal charges
⚠️ A former Ocean County fire chief and police officer now faces nine criminal charges.
➡️ The indictment involves 11 reported victims and includes accusations from his time as a police officer.
🔴 Sinnott has pleaded not guilty and says he intends to fight “every bit” of the allegations.
TRENTON — A former longtime Ocean County volunteer fire chief and local police officer faces more criminal charges, steeped in accusations that he repeatedly tricked and forced unwanted sexual contact with young co-workers.
Robert M. Sinnott, Jr., served in various roles at Silverton Volunteer Fire Company in Toms River, including chief.
He also spent at least two decades as an officer with the Island Heights Police Department, leaving the force in 2021.
In December, the 53-year-old Sinnott was charged with four counts of fourth-degree criminal sexual contact and one count of second-degree official misconduct.
Sinnott, formerly of Toms River, is now a resident of Cape Coral, Florida.
He is pleading not guilty to all charges and intends to fight “every bit” of these allegations, defense attorney Mitchell Ansell said to New Jersey 101.5 on Thursday.
🔗 Burlington Stores is moving its headquarters from NJ to Philly
💲Burlington Stores is moving its corporate headquarters from NJ to Philadelphia
💲 Pennsylvania is putting $30 million toward Burlington's $370 million investment.
💲New Jersey employees working in Philly could face the city's 3.425% wage tax.
Burlington Stores is moving its corporate headquarters out of New Jersey, the state where the company first started 54 years ago.
Founded in 1972 in Burlington, New Jersey, the retailer announced Thursday that it will move its corporate headquarters across the Delaware River to Schuylkill Yards on Market Street in West Philadelphia following a $370 million investment. Pennsylvania will invest $30 million in the move, which the state says will create at least 2,000 new jobs over the next five years.
The move marks another corporate blow for New Jersey, even though Burlington will continue to operate stores in the Garden State. The company currently lists 57 New Jersey locations.
🔗 Driver fleeing ICE agents hits East Brunswick mayor's wife
🚨A driver fled an ICE traffic stop on Route 130 and crashed into another vehicle
🚨The driver of the vehicle struck was East Brunswick Mayor Brad Cohen's wife
🚨 North Brunswick's mayor says local police became involved only after the crash
NORTH BRUNSWICK — A vehicle whose driver fled a traffic stop with ICE agents on Route 130 crashed into a vehicle being driven by the wife of an East Brunswick mayor.
North Brunswick Mayor Francis Womack III said ICE agents stopped an Acura on Route 130 at Washington Place around 7:30 a.m. The driver initially stopped but then sped away through a red light and into another vehicle. The driver ran off but was soon taken into custody.
The driver of the Tesla that was struck, Dr. Penelope Cohen, is the wife of East Brunswick Mayor Brad Cohen. She was treated for a leg injury at a hospital.
An ICE spokesperson said that the unauthorized immigrant refused to get out of their vehicle during a targeted enforcement operation. After several verbal warnings the ICE officers "relied on their training and attempted to safely remove the illegal alien" but they instead fled.
"The illegal alien was arrested for violating U.S. immigration law, will receive due process, and will remain in custody pending removal proceedings," the spokesperson said. The identify of the individual or details about their violation were not disclosed.
Womack stressed that North Brunswick police got involved in the incident only after the crash.
"I want to make clear to our residents that the North Brunswick Police Department was not involved in the federal operation or the attempted motor vehicle stop," Womack said.
New Jersey's Immigrant Trust Directive generally limits state, county and local law enforcement agencies from assisting federal immigration authorities with immigration-enforcement activities.
🔗 NJ fans, look for these spots in Netflix’s 'The Whisper Man'
⚠️ Netflix’s “The Whisper Man” filmed on location in 22 New Jersey communities.
➡️ More than 1,400 extras joined over 140 cast and crew members for the thriller.
🔴 Filming locations included a Summit train station, a Westfield school and Garrett Mountain.
Lots of buzz this week about whether Colts Neck landmark business, Delicious Orchards is the site of an unnamed film shoot.
Part of the extra excitement — aside from rumors that the project stars Kevin Hart — comes from how beloved the Monmouth County family-run store is to its shoppers.
(I personally hope any wrap party involves their freshly-made cider doughnuts and oatmeal raisin cookies.)
Netflix has been filming up and down the state, as its production studio takes shape further along Route 18 at the former Fort Monmouth property.
One of those previously wrapped movies, filmed almost entirely in New Jersey, just premiered on Netflix last weekend.
The Whisper Man was adapted from a novel by Alex North. The thriller stars Robert DeNiro, Adam Scott, Michelle Monaghan — and a show-stealing scene by Michael Keaton.
Behind the scenes, there were more than 140 members of the cast and crew working, plus over 1,400 extras, according to Netflix.
We first saw glimpses in April 2025, when Scott and Monaghan were spotted on set in Westfield.
Overall, The Whisper Man was on location in 22 of New Jersey’s “Film Ready” communities.
Click the link above to see what towns are featured.
LOOK: Grilling Mistakes That Send Millions To The Hospital
Gallery Credit: Mike Brant
'Pearls of wisdom' from our mothers
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