NJ News for 1:00pm, Friday, 8-14-2026

The PJ Fitzpatrick Home Improvement News Desk. New Jersey 101.5 News starts now. It's 84 degrees at 1 o'clock. I'm Jen Ursula. A private music teacher is facing criminal charges after being accused of stalking a 17-year-old student after making sexual advances. Passa County prosecutors say 72-year-old John Benzac teaches piano and violin and is accused of trying to have sexual contact with the student at a private home in West Milford. Investors say, investigators say Benzac then sent harassing text messages to the teen. He's charged with child endangerment and stalking. Three New Jersey school districts are asking voters to approve more than $300 million in borrowing. Referendums in the Sinaminson, Roselle, and Morris school districts are set for September 15th. If approved, homeowners could see property taxes rise by hundreds of dollars a year, depending on the projects voters choose. The biggest proposal is a $158 million referendum in Morris, where the school tax levy just increased 3.5%. Rick Rickman, New Jersey, 101.5 News. The news made possible by Team Car Wash. The only thing better than Team Car Wash is a free team car wash. Just text, D-I-R-T-Y to 411-365, get your first car wash on them. A Tom's Riverman is confessed to operating a Ponzi-like scheme that defrauded more than 97 victims, many of them in the Orthodox Jewish community, of almost $47 million. Federal prosecutors say 43-year-old Leor Moshe solicited investors and a company promising them the money would go to... court financing short-term business loans. Instead, he used more than $11 million for personal expenses and paid off other investors. South River police looking for a New York City man who exposed himself a number at times last month to a resident. 21-year-old Anthony Lopez charged with five counts of lewdness. An active warrant's been issued for his arrest. Police believe that there are other residents who just have not reported similar incidents. The Complete New Jersey 101.1.5 forecast is coming up. New Jersey 101.5 in skin weather. Our wet and stormy summer is doing the trick in relieving our drought concerns for much of the state. We're down to 30% of New Jersey in moderate drought status. That is a big improvement. It's basically coastal and southern New Jersey now. We've now been running a rainfall deficit for exactly one year going back to last August. There is a rain chance in the forecast today, but it is minimal. Just a few stray showers possible this afternoon into this evening. Otherwise, sun and clouds, nice and warm today. Highs in the mid-80s. Skies will clear tonight. It'll be fairly comfortable with lows dropping to the mid-60s. Tomorrow looks beautiful. Mostly sunny and dry, warm and not that humid. Highs 80 to 85. Less beautiful for Sunday, though, turning cloudier and cooler. Highs only in the upper 70s. One batch of showers midday. A bigger push of rain looking likely for late Sunday. I'm Chief Meteorologist Dan Zohran Mamdani. New Jersey weather made possible by Earth Treasurer. Gold prizes are near historic highs. Have you ever thought about selling jewelry now as the... perfect time. Earth treasures jewelry is on Ridge 35 and 36 in Eaton Town, 50 years of trust buying or selling the estate jewelry experts. Right now, Manusquan, 83 degrees. It's 86 in Woodbury, Westfield, 84. Next update hits at 130. Breaking news when it happens. Now more of the conversation with Lou and Michelle on New Jersey 101.1.5.