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

🔗 This was NJ's coldest winter in 11 years, and you won’t believe where it ranks since 1895

What a winter, huh?

The entire state of New Jersey spent a lot of quality time manning snow shovels and bundling up in our tightest winter gear over the past three months. Winter 2025-26 was a relentless reminder that New Jersey does experience all four seasons, and that does indeed include bitter cold and heavy snow.

From first flakes in early December to the snow/ice storm in January to the massive blizzard in late February, Mother Nature seemed determined to make up for years of mild, disappointing winter seasons.

My friend, colleague, and mentor, Dr. Dave Robinson, New Jersey State Climatologist at Rutgers University, coined a great phrase to describe this winter season overall: "Wash, rinse, repeat." In other words, we saw a nearly constant cycle of Arctic air moving in, dropping significant snow, and then we would barely catch our breath before the next system took aim at the Garden State.

It was a season of extremes that kept road crews busy and furnaces active.

Spring is now in full swing. And mid-May marks the official end of "snow season" in New Jersey — accumulating snow has never occurred this late in the season. So it is finally time to review the snowy, cold winter that was. (Keep in mind, in the world of weather statistics, climatological winter is calculated using the three average coldest months of the year: December, January, and February.)

Click the link above for highlights and lowlights of Winter 2025-26, some of which are rather surprising.

🔗 Chaos at NJ apartment complex: Dad accused of blocking school bus

🚌 Sayreville police say a dad blocked a school bus, during a dispute over a bus stop.
🚨 Officers arrested the 31-year-old man, accused of yelling and refusing to move.
⚖️ The parent now faces charges including interference with transportation and obstruction.

SAYREVILLE — A local parent is in trouble with Sayreville police after a morning incident involving a blocked school bus in between stops.

On Tuesday around 8:40 a.m., police were called to the "T" shaped intersection of Lakeview Drive and Solook Drive, which runs through the Brooklawn Gardens apartment complex.

Officers found a 31-year-old father, standing in front of a school bus that already had some students aboard.

Police said investigators found that, as a child was trying to board the bus at an “improper stop,” the driver denied them entry.

Roshan Howington, of Sayreville, is accused of then shouting at the driver and refusing to get out of the way.

Howington was arrested and faces charges at the municipal level, including interference with transportation, obstruction of the administration of law or other governmental function, as well as assault.

There were no safety issues, as the children remained on board and were ultimately taken to school.

🔗 Lakewood man charged in synagogue burglary spree

🚨Lakewood police arrested a 24-year-old man accused of burglarizing synagogues
🚨Investigators say donation and charity boxes were stolen
🚨Police expect additional charges as investigation continues

LAKEWOOD — Police have charged the man they say burglarized at least four synagogues since March.

Naor Chen, 24, of Lakewood was arrested after a search of his vehicle and home found evidence implicating him in the theft of money from donation and charity boxes from at least four locations, according to Lakewood police.

Police say that Chen stole less than $500 in three of the four donation boxes. The amount taken from the fourth was not known, according to police.

Chen was charged with multiple counts of burglary and theft. Police said Chen would enter the shuls during the overnight hours.

Police expect Chen to be charged in additional burglaries.

🔗 ICE detention center project delayed in Roxbury

☑️A planned ICE detention center in Roxbury has been delayed
☑️State officials say the giant warehouse site lacks enough water, sewage, and power
☑️ICE can install fencing and security while environmental reviews move forward

ROXBURY — Work on a planned U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center at a Morris County warehouse was delayed as the state was about to go to court seeking an injunction against the project.

ICE, the state, and Roxbury Township have agreed to a "joint stipulation" which requires an environmental review of the property along Route 46 under the National Environmental Policy Act. ICE was moving forward with work on the 470,000-square- foot facility without the review.

Both sides were due in federal court on the state's request for an injunction against the project. New Jersey Monitor, which was first to report on the joint stipulation, reported ICE was planning to open the new facility as early as June.

Gov. Mikie Sherrill, New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport, and Roxbury Mayor Shawn Potillo, in a joint statement, said they have demanded that the Department of Homeland Security slow down on the project. They contend the site in the Ledgewood section of Roxbury cannot handle the water, sewage, and power needed to run the facility.

Start your day with up-to-the-minute news, traffic and weather for the Garden State.

The New Jersey 101.5 Morning Show airs from 6 - 10 a.m. on New Jersey 101.5.

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

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