A New Jersey beach town tightened its nighttime curfew for minors this week, barring unaccompanied teenagers from the sand after 8 p.m. and from public spaces after 10:30 p.m.
The Cape May City Council voted unanimously Thursday to approve the emergency ordinances, which took effect immediately, <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/08/15/us-news/cape-may-bans-minors-from-beach-in-jersey-shore-curfew-crackdown/">according</a> to the New York Post. Anyone under 18 is now banned from the city&#8217;s beaches, beachfront and access ways between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. unless accompanied by an adult, and from public places citywide between 10:30 p.m. and 6 a.m. The city&#8217;s previous curfew began at midnight during the summer season. The ordinances carve out exceptions for minors traveling to or from work.
&#8220;These ordinances are intended to help maintain a safe and enjoyable environment for our residents and visitors, particularly during the busy summer season,&#8221; the Cape May Police Department <a href="https://www.facebook.com/capemaycitypolice/posts/pfbid02k9iHJDDxJDxqLDi7KSxQWyeY8WSmdy9TedRWVH18JScu4kBgti3CHkXn5hg9MD28l">wrote</a> on Facebook.
Cape May Mayor Zack Mullock said police had noticed minors from neighboring shore towns with earlier curfews were coming to Cape May to keep partying, and that the city wanted to act before a handful of incidents became a pattern.
&#8220;We really wanted to make sure we didn&#8217;t become the afterparty to some of the other towns that have already made this move,&#8221; Mullock said. &#8220;After 10:30, we all know it&#8217;s not normally the best stuff that happens then.&#8221;
The ordinances also impose a bag restriction that applies to everyone, not just minors. Between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m., no one may carry a bag larger than eight inches in height, width or depth on the beach or the city&#8217;s promenade — a category that covers backpacks, book bags, camera bags, cinch bags, computer bags, duffel bags and luggage. Bags carrying medical devices and supplies are exempt.
Mullock, the Democratic nominee challenging Rep. Jeff Van Drew (R-NJ) in New Jersey&#8217;s 2nd Congressional District, said the first night of enforcement went smoothly.
&#8220;Frankly, last night, they were out here and the reports I received is that it worked and we just had families out here enjoying a pleasant evening,&#8221; he said.
Shore towns up and down the coast have spent the summer contending with teen takeovers.
In May, Long Branch police responded to a teen takeover at Pier Village, an oceanfront development of rentals, hotels and shops, where a large group of teenagers was reported to be starting brawls and jumping on cars, Fox News <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/rowdy-teen-takeover-hits-popular-beach-hot-spot-wave-arrests-assaults-emergency-curfew-video">reported</a>. Officers carrying riot shields corralled the teens in the street and cleared the area, and the city imposed an emergency 8 p.m. curfew that night. Roughly 140 officers responded — 69 from Long Branch and about 70 more from over a dozen neighboring agencies.
Six people were arrested. Five, including three teenagers under 18, faced disorderly conduct charges; a sixth teenager was taken into custody for allegedly eluding police. Officials said more arrests were expected over two reported aggravated assaults connected to the gathering.
Some visitors welcomed the new rules. &#8220;I think that&#8217;s smart. That&#8217;s planning ahead,&#8221; John Christiansen, a tourist from Staten Island, <a href="https://6abc.com/post/city-council-cape-may-new-jersey-passes-curfew-juveniles-18/19677606/">told</a> WPVI. &#8220;It&#8217;s really just a few bad kids that cause trouble, so once everyone finds out what they need to do then it&#8217;s good.&#8221;

Ocean City Boardwalk

Jersey Shore Town Enacts Emergency Curfew Amid Summer Of Teen Takeovers

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Fighter jets intercepted two civilian planes that strayed into restricted airspace over Bedminster, New Jersey, on Sunday while President Donald Trump was wrapping up a weekend stay at his golf club there.
The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) said in a statement posted to X that its F-16s had responded to &#8220;multiple general aviation aircraft&#8221; violating temporary flight restrictions over the area. &#8220;All aircraft were safely escorted out of the area by NORAD aircraft,&#8221; the command said, urging pilots to &#8220;check your Notice to Airmen (NOTAMS) and FAA Temporary Flight Restrictions.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
NORAD F-16s intercepted multiple general aviation aircraft today that violated temporary flight restrictions over Bedminster, NJ.
All aircraft were safely escorted out of the area by NORAD aircraft.
Pilots: check your Notice to Airmen (NOTAMS) and FAA Temporary Flight… <a href="https://t.co/yac5sDTp1j">https://t.co/yac5sDTp1j</a>
— North American Aerospace Defense Command (@NORADCommand) <a href="https://x.com/NORADCommand/status/2086513190935154824?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 9, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
First Air Force, which oversees NORAD&#8217;s continental air operations, put a firmer number on the incident, <a href="https://x.com/1stAF/status/2086508676588724453">saying</a> fighters &#8220;intercepted two aircraft violating restricted airspace over Bedminster, NJ.&#8221;
&#8220;Remember: Check NOTAMs before EVERY flight!&#8221; the command added.
<a href="https://x.com/EricLDaugh/status/2086525429293223978">Video</a> circulating online appeared to capture one of the intercepts, showing an F-16 closing in on a small propeller plane outside Bedminster.
Trump arrived at Trump National Golf Club Bedminster on Friday evening and was scheduled to return to Washington on Sunday. The club hosted the LIV Golf New York tournament this week, and the president attended Sunday&#8217;s final round.
Sunday&#8217;s incursions came despite ample warning. NORAD <a href="https://www.dvidshub.net/news/571806/multiple-temporary-flight-restriction-areas-announced-over-new-jersey-weekend">announced before the weekend</a> that it would enforce multiple VIP flight restrictions established by the FAA over New Jersey, cautioning that its aircraft would &#8220;take the necessary action to gain compliance — a scenario we encourage all pilots to avoid.&#8221; The command also noted that Army ground-based defense equipment could be operating in the region as part of its layered defense posture.
Airspace violations have become a recurring problem during Trump&#8217;s visits to his properties. Just three weeks ago, <a href="https://www.dvidshub.net/news/570279/norad-intercepts-multiple-aircraft-violating-temporary-flight-restrictions-northeast-region">more than 10 aircraft</a> entered restricted airspace over Bedminster and East Rutherford in a single day, with NORAD dispensing flares during two of the three intercepts.
Officials have not identified Sunday&#8217;s aircraft or those aboard, and there is no indication the violations were anything more than pilot error.

LIV Golf New York – Day Four

F-16s Scramble After Planes Breach No-Fly Zone Over Trump’s Golf Club

airplanes

Donald Trump

LIV Golf

NORAD

A new law that went into effect on August 1 has changed the way you order takeout in New Jersey. 
Under the “Skip the Stuff” law, restaurants can no longer automatically pack single-use plastic utensils, straws, or condiment packets with to-go orders, and customers who want those items must now specifically request them. The law was signed by then-Democratic Governor Phil Murphy in January and took effect last week. Its purpose is to reduce plastic waste and limit the so-called environmental footprint of food businesses. 
Officials touting the new law noted that approximately 95% of food packaging is discarded after a single use.
In practice, this means plastic knives, forks, spoons, chopsticks, and individual packets of ketchup or other condiments will no longer appear in takeout bags by default. Diners can still receive them free of charge, but only if they ask. The same rule applies to online ordering platforms. Services such as DoorDash and Uber Eats must now default to withholding utensils unless a customer actively chooses to include them.
The restrictions also cover restaurants that offer indoor seating for at least 10 people. These establishments may provide only washable utensils for diners eating on site. Condiment packets are no longer allowed; sauces and seasonings must instead come from full size bottles or other reusable containers.
Some places are exempt. Public and private K-12 schools do not have to follow the law, nor do county or state correctional facilities or healthcare facilities. Food court restaurants have until August 1, 2028, before the requirements apply to them.
Enforcement begins with a warning for the first violation. A second offense can bring daily fines of up to $100. Later violations carry higher penalties of as much as $250 per day.
The measure stacks on earlier plastic reduction steps in New Jersey. In 2022, the state banned single-use plastic carryout bags and polystyrene foam food containers. In 2021, it placed restrictions on plastic straws. A similar “Skip the Stuff” law went into effect in New York City in July 2023.
For customers, the most instantaneous change is a small adjustment in how they place an order. Whether ordering in person, by phone, or through an app, diners must now decide if they need utensils or packets and say so clearly. 
Restaurants and delivery platforms are required to wait for that request before including the items. The law does not ban the items when asked for, it simply ends the previous practice of including them automatically with every order.
The rules are now in effect for most restaurants and delivery services across New Jersey, with the noted exemptions for schools, institutional facilities, and food courts until 2028.

Doordash Delivery Bag

A New Law Is Changing The Way You Order Takeout

Democrats

Food

restaurants

Russia, Iran Sanctions Bill Clears Key Hurdle In US Senate

Inside The Trump Admin’s Approach To Drones And The Future Of Aviation

Drones

gorka

After New Jersey officials registered roughly 6,600 non-citizens to vote, the state&#8217;s Democratic governor is refusing to hand over the records to the feds.
On Tuesday, Democratic New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill said she would not cooperate with the Trump administration, which she accused of &#8220;weaponizing&#8221; such records. Sherrill revealed last week that the state’s Motor Vehicle Commission registered thousands of non-citizens to vote in an apparent error.
&#8220;As I have said, I&#8217;m not in the habit of turning over private identifying information of the citizens of New Jersey,&#8221; Sherrill said. &#8220;This federal government is weaponizing the government against individuals that disagree with them.&#8221;
&#8220;They weaponized my private data against me and my election and so I am working to protect people and their private data here in New Jersey,&#8221; she added.
The Trump administration <a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-sues-five-additional-states-failure-produce-voter-rolls" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sued</a> New Jersey in February for its “failure to produce their full voter registration lists upon request.”
In light of the latest revelation, the Justice Department sent a letter to Sherrill requesting the names, dates of birth, nationalities, addresses, and registration dates and locations for the 6,600 non-citizens.
Citing a &#8220;preliminary analysis,&#8221; Sherrill said that fewer than 400 of the non-citizens who were placed on the state&#8217;s voter rolls actually cast ballots. The Justice Department asked the governor to share when and where those non-citizens voted.
Sherrill responded that New Jersey would not comply with the request, which she said had &#8220;no legal basis.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Today, I informed <a href="https://x.com/AAGDhillon?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AAGDhillon</a> that New Jersey will not provide the personal information of thousands of New Jersey residents.
The request had no legal basis, and I will always protect New Jerseyans&#8217; personally identifiable information. <a href="https://t.co/MP2EPjUyso">https://t.co/MP2EPjUyso</a> <a href="https://t.co/ONdIteHS8E">pic.twitter.com/ONdIteHS8E</a>
— Governor Mikie Sherrill (@GovSherrillNJ) <a href="https://x.com/GovSherrillNJ/status/2082184704590074042?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 28, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Between June 2023 and June 2024, the non-citizens indicated their immigration status in their applications for IDs and driver’s licenses.
Ultimately, Sherrill blamed her predecessor for the purported mistake. She has also opened an investigation into the registration debacle and has instructed state officials to remove any non-citizens from the voter rolls.
The state is also working to replace the vendor responsible for implementing the system under which the error occurred.
“I want to underscore how seriously I take this matter. As a military veteran who swore an oath to defend our Constitution, and as a former federal prosecutor, I believe the integrity of our elections is fundamental to our democracy,” Sherrill said in an earlier press conference.
“I am appalled by the reckless failures that allowed this to happen and the lack of transparency shown by those in charge at the time,” the governor said. “This failure didn’t occur under my watch, but accountability starts now.”

New Jerseyans Vote On Election Day For State’s Next Governor

New Jersey Refuses To Cooperate With Feds After Registering Thousands Of Noncitizens To Vote

Democrat

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Immigration

mikie sherrill

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Another stabbing. Another headline. Another round of thoughts and prayers followed by absolutely nothing changing.
The day before this attack, a friend of mine had his front door kicked in. His wife was home with their baby when the attacker got inside and tackled her to the ground — both of them on the floor. My friend was able to get to her in time, fight the attacker off, and get his wife and baby out safely. It could have ended very differently. It didn&#8217;t, because he was there and he was ready.
These stories aren&#8217;t rare anymore. They&#8217;re routine. And every time one happens, the same question follows: what if someone there had been armed? The answer is simple. It would have changed everything.
I grew up in California, and firearms were part of my life from an early age. My family ran a nonprofit helping families with food, clothing, and furniture — the kind of work that puts you face to face with people at their most vulnerable. It also put a target on us. Before I turned 18, my family endured 14 attempted break-ins and two attempted murders. That reshaped how I saw the world. I got serious about firearms training, earned my National Rifle Association instructor certifications, and kept building from there. Then came the Chabad of Poway shooting. Watching an attack unfold in a synagogue — a place that&#8217;s supposed to be safe — prompted me to take action. I started teaching publicly, and it grew into a full training operation. Today I run &#8220;The Tactical Rabbi,&#8221; a firearms and security training brand with a YouTube channel that&#8217;s crossed 35 million views and a growing presence on Instagram, where I break down concealed carry, active-shooter response, and security preparedness for anyone wanting to learn.
I&#8217;ve spent years watching regular people — parents, business owners, synagogue members — try to navigate the maze of legal protections. In New York, that maze is a nightmare and for many, hard to work through.
New York is technically a &#8220;shall issue&#8221; state now, post-Bruen (the June 2022 Supreme Court decision in New York State Rifle &amp; Pistol Association, Inc. v. Bruen recognizing a constitutional right to carry a handgun outside the home for self-defense). On paper, the Supreme Court forced the state&#8217;s hand. In practice, New York found a new way to make the right to self-defense functionally unreachable for most people. To get a carry license, an applicant has to complete 16 hours of classroom instruction, plus two hours of live-fire training, submit four character references, sit for an in-person interview, and pass a background process that, in my experience, takes an average of six months — and commonly can stretch past a year.
An attorney once put it to me this way, and I haven&#8217;t heard it said better: if New York actually cared about safety, the ratio would be flipped — sixteen hours of live-fire and safe-handling training, two hours of legal seminar. Instead, it&#8217;s the opposite. The overwhelming majority of mandated time isn&#8217;t spent teaching people to operate a firearm safely. It&#8217;s spent walking them through everything they&#8217;re not allowed to do. That&#8217;s not a safety program. That&#8217;s a liability shield with a permit slip attached. And that&#8217;s before you factor in the cost — training, fingerprinting, application fees, lost work hours — which adds up to something far beyond a minor inconvenience. For someone working full-time or living on a tight income, six months to a year of cost and paperwork isn&#8217;t a deterrent. It&#8217;s often a hard stop.
Even after someone clears every hurdle and gets approved, New York&#8217;s list of &#8220;sensitive locations&#8221; strips the license of most of its value. Subways. Times Square. Public transit. The exact places where violent crime is most concentrated and where the value of self-defense is most needed are off limits. The state hands you a license in one hand and takes back the protection with the other. To be clear, I don&#8217;t think every requirement is worthless. A seminar on the legal use of force has real value. Live-fire training has real value. The problem isn&#8217;t that New York asks people to be trained and responsible. The problem is how it&#8217;s built — layered, slow, and expensive in a way that has far more to do with discouraging applicants than preparing them.
New Jersey&#8217;s process, by comparison, is a two-hour seminar plus a 50-round live-fire qualification across three to 15 yards. That&#8217;s it. It&#8217;s faster, cheaper, and — frankly — makes more sense as an actual proficiency test than New York&#8217;s process. Approval times run dramatically shorter than New York&#8217;s. I still don&#8217;t think New Jersey&#8217;s system is where it should be, constitutionally. But if I had to choose between the two states as they stand today, it isn&#8217;t close. Meanwhile, most of the country has moved toward constitutional carry — which is closer to how the Second Amendment was actually written and intended to function. More states should be moving in that direction, not away from it.
People will say these hurdles exist because lawmakers want gun ownership to stay rare. That misses the bigger picture. The Second Amendment wasn&#8217;t written to manage a hobby. It was written as a check against tyranny and, just as importantly, as a guarantee that every individual has the right to defend themselves and the people they love. That right doesn&#8217;t mean much if the state can regulate it into practical non-existence while still calling it &#8220;shall issue.&#8221;
And there&#8217;s a second half to this problem that doesn&#8217;t get talked about enough: the revolving-door approach to repeat offenders in cities like New York. When people with long, documented histories of arrests face little to no real consequence, you remove any incentive for a would-be attacker to hesitate. Deterrence works both ways — an armed, trained citizen is one form of deterrence; real consequences for violent behavior are another. Weaken both at the same time, and you shouldn&#8217;t be surprised when incidents like stabbings and other violent crimes keep happening.
I’m constantly asked where to start, and I always come back to the same comparison: learning to drive. The first time you get behind the wheel, it&#8217;s intimidating — you don&#8217;t know what you&#8217;re doing, and that uncertainty is real. But with the right instructor, proper training, and time behind the wheel, that discomfort turns into competence. A firearm is no different. It&#8217;s a tool. Treated seriously, trained on properly, and understood clearly, it becomes something you can rely on rather than fear. That&#8217;s the piece so many of these processes get backward. They spend their energy trying to make people afraid of the tool instead of competent with it. Fix that, and you fix most of what&#8217;s actually wrong with the system.
There are many fantastic resources and firearms instructors across the country — people who know the laws and people who follow everything Second Amendment-related. For example, if you are worried about owning or bringing a firearm into your home, Yehuda Remer, also known as The Pew Pew Jew, has a series of children’s books that talk about gun safety and living with firearms in your home. He also has a history of the Second Amendment so you and your child can learn about its importance and why we have it. He is a Second Amendment activist living in Texas who educates children and parents about those rights. His work and advocacy span the better part of 15 years, during which he has called for everyone to arm themselves, especially Jews. Since October 7, his voice has been an important wake-up call for Jews around the country to pick up a firearm, train, and survive.
If any of this resonates — if you&#8217;ve been sitting on the fence about getting trained, getting licensed, or just learning how to think about your own safety — don&#8217;t wait for the next headline to decide for you. Reach out. Find me on YouTube and Instagram as The Tactical Rabbi, or drop me a line at <a href="mailto:info@thetacticalrabbi.com">info@thetacticalrabbi.com</a>. I’m happy to help point you in the right direction.
Or you can reach out to The Pew Pew Jew at <a href="http://www.thepewpewjew.com/">www.thepewpewjew.com</a> or email him at thepewpewjew@gmail.com.
***
Rabbi Raziel Cohen is a firearms instructor and security consultant known as &#8220;The Tactical Rabbi.&#8221; His YouTube channel has surpassed 35 million views, and he shares ongoing training content on Instagram.
Yehuda Remer is an award-winning Second Amendment advocate who has published 10 books and has appeared on media outlets including Fox News, ABC News, and other publications.

Todd Settergren of Setterarms gun shop, handles pistols inside his display case on Friday Jan. 13, 2017, in Walnut Creek, Ca. Settergren says California gun laws have gone too far and he welcomes the chance that the federal government under the Trump admi

New York Doesn’t Want You Armed, The Bureaucracy Proves It

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Concealed Carry

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Gun Rights

Inc. v. Bruen

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Thousands of non-citizens were registered to vote in New Jersey in what officials are classifying as a &#8220;software error.&#8221;
Democratic New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill revealed Tuesday that she was made aware of the apparent mistake last week. She claimed that the state’s Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) registered roughly 6,600 non-citizens who indicated their status while applying for IDs and driver&#8217;s licenses between June 2023 and June 2024.
&#8220;These individuals answered &#8216;no&#8217; when asked on a keypad whether they were a U.S. citizen when applying for drivers&#8217; licenses and identification cards, but through no fault of their own, the system registered them anyway,&#8221; Sherrill <a href="https://x.com/GovSherrillNJ/status/2079602942722662725">wrote</a> in an X post.
Sherrill blamed her predecessor for the purported mistake.
The Garden State&#8217;s election office is investigating the voter rolls to remove any non-citizens, Sherrill said during a Tuesday press conference. Officials are also working to replace the vendor responsible for implementing the system that led to the error.
&#8220;This happened under the previous administration and, upon learning this information, I immediately ordered my chief counsel to launch an investigation to get to the bottom of what occurred,&#8221; Sherrill said.
&#8220;I also ordered the removal of any residents from our voter rolls who were erroneously added between June 2023 and June 2024,&#8221; she said.
Fewer than 400 of the non-citizens who were placed on the state&#8217;s voter rolls actually voted, Sherrill said, citing a &#8220;preliminary analysis.&#8221;
&#8220;I want to underscore how seriously I take this matter. As a military veteran who swore an oath to defend our Constitution, and as a former federal prosecutor, I believe the integrity of our elections is fundamental to our democracy,&#8221; Sherrill said.
&#8220;I am appalled by the reckless failures that allowed this to happen and the lack of transparency shown by those in charge at the time,&#8221; the governor said. &#8220;This failure didn’t occur under my watch, but accountability starts now.&#8221;
Sherrill also took aim at the Trump administration for attempting &#8220;to weaponize elections for political gain.&#8221;
&#8220;Let me be clear: Donald Trump has zero credibility on the issue of election integrity. For more than ten years, he has worked to undermine Americans&#8217; faith in our elections by spreading lies about legitimate election results, attempting to overturn a free and fair election, encouraging an attack on our Capitol when he couldn&#8217;t accept the will of the voters, and defunding election security at the federal level,&#8221; the governor said.
&#8220;The difference is simple: when we find a problem, we don&#8217;t hide it, deny it, or invent conspiracies. We investigate it, we fix it, and we tell the public. That&#8217;s what accountability and good governance look like, and that&#8217;s exactly what my administration is doing,&#8221; she said.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
I note that New Jersey is one of the states refusing to allow <a href="https://x.com/TheJusticeDept?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TheJusticeDept</a> <a href="https://x.com/CivilRights?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CivilRights</a> to help them avoid exactly such “errors.”
Stay tuned. <a href="https://t.co/bObsAUA2zB">https://t.co/bObsAUA2zB</a>
— AAGHarmeetDhillon (@AAGDhillon) <a href="https://x.com/AAGDhillon/status/2079619785273298972?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 21, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The Trump administration has sought to audit New Jersey&#8217;s voter rolls to ensure non-citizens aren&#8217;t registered to vote. The Justice Department <a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-sues-five-additional-states-failure-produce-voter-rolls" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sued</a> New Jersey in February for its &#8220;failure to produce their full voter registration lists upon request.&#8221;
In response to Sherrill&#8217;s latest announcement, Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon called out the apparent hypocrisy, adding, &#8220;Stay tuned.&#8221;

Untitled design – 2026-07-21T121316.741

New Jersey Registered Thousands Of Non-Citizens To Vote Due To ‘Software Error’

Election Fraud

election integrity

A federal appeals court ruled Friday that New Jersey’s ban on semiautomatic rifles and high-capacity magazines violates the Second Amendment, marking the first time a federal appellate court has struck down a state ban on so-called assault weapons. 
The Third Circuit reached the decision by a 10-5 vote, expanding a lower court ruling that had found New Jersey&#8217;s <a href="https://law.justia.com/codes/new-jersey/title-2c/section-2c-39-1/">ban</a> on Colt AR-15 rifles unconstitutional.
A lower court had previously ruled that New Jersey&#8217;s ban on Colt AR-15 rifles violated the Second Amendment while upholding the state&#8217;s large-capacity magazine restriction. The appeals court went further, concluding the constitutional protection extends to all semiautomatic rifles covered by the law.
“We agree with the District Court that New Jersey’s ban on Colt AR-15s violates the Second Amendment,&#8221; the court <a href="https://www2.ca3.uscourts.gov/opinarch/242415p.pdf">wrote</a>. It added that &#8220;the same result&#8221; applies to the broader class of semiautomatic rifles covered by the state&#8217;s assault weapons ban.  
The appeals court relied heavily on the Supreme Court’s 2022 decision in New York State Rifle &amp; Pistol Association v. Bruen, which held that modern gun laws must be &#8220;consistent with this nation&#8217;s ⁠historical tradition of ​firearm regulation,&#8221; US News <a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/top-news/articles/2026-07-17/us-appeals-court-declares-new-jerseys-ban-on-assault-rifles-unconstitutional">reports</a>. 
New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport, a Democrat, blasted the ruling, saying it was “as unfortunate as it is legally incorrect”
“Assault weapons and large-capacity magazines play a dangerous role in the modern epidemic of mass shootings, and New Jersey acted reasonably and lawfully in restricting them,&#8221; Davenport said.
She added that the state was already exploring its legal options following the ruling.
The Firearms Policy Coalition, one of the plaintiffs in the case, celebrated the decision.
“This is a massive victory for the People and another devastating blow to the authoritarian war on gun owners,” FPC’s President Brandon Combs <a href="https://www.firearmspolicy.org/fpc-wins-major-third-circuit-victory-against-new-jersey-assault-weapon-ban">said</a>. 
The Supreme Court is currently considering challenges to similar bans in Connecticut and Illinois.

Second Amendment Concepts – Firearm on a scale

Gun Owners Just Scored A Huge Court Victory

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U.S.

A Canadian national learned the hard way that political rage can carry a hefty price tag — including a possible one-way ticket out of the country.
Kaitlyn Tracey, a 33-year-old living in Asbury Park, allegedly lost her cool on the Point Pleasant Beach boardwalk on Jersey Shore over the Fourth of July weekend and is accused of <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/07/15/us-news/canadian-woman-kaitlyn-tracey-detained-by-ice-after-allegedly-assaulting-teen-girl-wearing-trump-clothing-at-jersey-shore/">unleashing a physical assault</a> on a teenager whose only crime was her wardrobe choice.
According to authorities, Tracey filmed herself confronting a group of four young girls on July 3. The trigger? Two of the minors were wearing patriotic sweatpants emblazoned with the words &#8220;Trump&#8221; and &#8220;ICE.&#8221; Tempers flared, and Tracey allegedly smacked one of the young girls across the face and body. While the teenager escaped physical injury, Tracey couldn’t escape the law.
Cops used security footage to track down the angry Canadian. She was hit with a laundry list of charges, including endangering the welfare of a child, assault, harassment, and obstruction.
But her troubles didn&#8217;t stop there. On Monday, Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents snatched Tracey up and threw her into the Delaney Hall detention center in Newark.
Her husband, Matthew Geroni — who calls himself the &#8220;Clown of Asbury Park&#8221; and regularly mocks conservatives — scrambled to TikTok to beg his 140,000 followers for help, conveniently leaving out the part where his wife allegedly slapped a kid. A GoFundMe page he promoted for her legal fees was quickly yanked down after angry MAGA supporters reported it.
The leftist&#8217;s boardwalk tantrum is just the latest flashpoint in a years-long wave of violent outbursts targeting everyday Americans for wearing red hats or flying conservative flags.
Just two months ago, the hatred turned lethal. Kerry Sheron, a 69-year-old Army veteran known for his patriotic &#8220;Trump House&#8221; in Escondido, California, was brutally beaten in his own front yard. The elderly veteran <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/army-vet-dies-after-hes-beaten-outside-his-famed-trump-house">died of his injuries</a> days later.
The rage extends to even the most mundane settings. Back in July 2018, a Texas teenager sitting in a San Antonio Whataburger had his MAGA hat ripped off and soda thrown in his face by an angry patron. In August 2019, a man was jumped outside a Portland, Oregon bar by two thugs simply because he was <a href="https://www.opb.org/news/article/maga-hat-trump-portland-oregon-assault/#:~:text=By%20Rob%20Manning%20(OPB)%20Portland%2C%20Ore.%20Aug.,to%20the%20Multnomah%20County%20District%20Attorney's%20office.">wearing the signature red hat</a>.
Even law enforcement has been caught in the middle of the madness. A federal appeals court previously ruled that Trump supporters attacked at a 2016 campaign rally in San Jose could sue local police. Officers allegedly funneled attendees right into a hostile mob of anti-Trump protesters and stood by while they were pummeled and pelted with garbage.
For Tracey, her next date in court is on August 4 if Uncle Sam doesn&#8217;t deport her back to the Great White North first.

Nation’s Capital Prepares For President-Elect Donald Trump’s Second Inauguration

ICE Takes Action After Canadian Lefty Accused Of Slapping American Teen Over Trump Pants

Canada

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

Trump Supporters

The roof of a wholesale store in Ocean Township, New Jersey, collapsed on Monday, trapping two shoppers inside.
There were 27 people inside the BJ&#8217;s Wholesale Club when a large section of the roof suddenly collapsed due to a heavy rain storm in the area, <a href="https://newjersey.news12.com/2026/07/06/roof-collapses-at-bjs-wholesale-club-in-ocean-township/128UzlO4BAdoGypMDmXBA6">according</a> to News 12 New Jersey. Two people were briefly trapped before safely exiting the building, <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/bjs-roof-collapses-heavy-rains-new-jersey-rcna353205">according</a> to NBC. The security footage shows people running for safety as part of the roof collapsed and water started pouring in.
First responders, including officers with the Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office and Ocean Township police, arrived at the store around 11:16 a.m, Syracuse.com <a href="https://www.syracuse.com/us-news/2026/07/roof-collapses-at-bjs-store-2-people-briefly-trapped.html">reported</a>.
“We did evacuate everyone out of the building. There were reports of two individuals trapped. They did escape the building,” said Chief Michael Sorrentino. 
Witness Ken Kalada was shopping for laundry detergent and first took a video of a large leak in the ceiling, according to NBC. He said a few seconds later the roof collapsed, and he was standing only 20 feet away. 
“I mean it was a thunderous boom. It made my ears ring,” Kalada said. “There was a girder nearby and I just leaned into that. There was a lot of yelling a lot screaming.”
He also said his instinct was to try to get out as quickly as he could because he feared more of the roof would collapse. 
A structural engineer will need to fully inspect the building and decide if it can be repaired or torn down. The Monmouth sheriff said 20% of the roof is now gone, but there were no injuries reported.
“We commend all first responders who worked with urgency under challenging circumstances,” said Sheriff Shaun Golden. “Despite the ongoing flooding and severe weather affecting our communities, all worked seamlessly together to ensure everyone was safely accounted for. Their dedication and teamwork exemplify the very best of public safety.”
On Monday afternoon, there were more than 60 million people that received flood watches across the mid-Atlantic and the Northeast.

WATCH: Insane Moment BJ’s Ceiling Caves In On Shoppers

Roof collapse

Rep. Tom Kean Jr. (R-NJ) revealed Tuesday that the undisclosed medical condition that kept him away from Congress for nearly four months was depression, ending months of speculation about one of the House GOP&#8217;s most closely watched absences.
Returning to the House floor for the first time since early March, Kean disclosed that he was hospitalized after experiencing health concerns and was ultimately diagnosed with depression, a condition he described as far more debilitating than many people realize.
&#8220;Many people think it is feeling sad. It is so much more than that,&#8221; Kean told colleagues. &#8220;It is physical, it is emotional, and until you experience it yourself, it is difficult to fully understand how powerful this illness can be.&#8221;
The announcement comes after Kean missed more than 100 House votes and largely disappeared from public view, creating headaches for House Republican leadership as Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) attempted to navigate the chamber&#8217;s razor-thin majority.
Kean last cast a vote on March 5 before abruptly stepping away from Congress. His office initially described the situation only as a &#8220;personal medical issue,&#8221; repeatedly declining to elaborate while assuring constituents the congressman expected to make a full recovery.
Earlier this month, Kean&#8217;s political adviser, Harrison Neely, announced the congressman would return to Washington on June 30 and promised he would be &#8220;fully transparent&#8221; about his condition.
On Tuesday, Kean explained that he initially entered the hospital for medical testing before receiving his diagnosis. &#8220;I was given the diagnosis of depression,&#8221; he said. Kean said doctors advised him to remain hospitalized because it offered the quickest path to recovery. &#8220;I was hesitant,&#8221; he said. &#8220;I didn&#8217;t think I had time for it.&#8221;
The second-term Republican acknowledged that when he previously told constituents he expected to return within weeks, he believed that timeline was accurate. &#8220;But as the over 48 million of my fellow Americans being treated for this illness have come to discover, there is no timeline for healing,&#8221; Kean said. &#8220;Today I stand before you healthier, stronger and excited to return to the work that I love.&#8221; Kean characterized himself as &#8220;a private person by nature,&#8221; explaining why he chose not to disclose his diagnosis sooner.
He also encouraged others struggling with mental illness to seek treatment. &#8220;Asking for help is not a weakness,&#8221; he said. &#8220;It is a strength.&#8221; Despite revealing the reason for his prolonged absence, Kean left Capitol Hill immediately after delivering his remarks without answering reporters&#8217; questions, leaving several unresolved what initially prompted his hospitalization.
Speaker Johnson said he had repeatedly encouraged Kean to be more forthcoming with the public during his absence. &#8220;I encouraged him all along to be as transparent as possible,&#8221; Johnson told reporters. &#8220;I&#8217;m glad he finally has.&#8221; Johnson declined to criticize Kean further, saying the decision ultimately rested with the New Jersey congressman. &#8220;It&#8217;s his personal issue,&#8221; the speaker said.
Kean represents New Jersey&#8217;s highly competitive 7th Congressional District, one of the Democrats&#8217; top pickup opportunities heading into November. His absence became an issue in the race as Democrats questioned whether constituents were receiving adequate representation while Kean remained out of public view. Democratic nominee Rebecca Bennett, a former Navy helicopter pilot, is expected to challenge Kean in what is projected to be one of the country&#8217;s most competitive House contests.
Before Tuesday&#8217;s announcement, President Donald Trump and House Republican leaders had continued backing Kean&#8217;s reelection campaign despite his <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/gop-rep-set-to-return-to-congress-after-he-went-mia-for-months">absence</a>. Trump endorsed Kean earlier this month, while Johnson repeatedly defended the congressman&#8217;s right to medical privacy and urged reporters to be patient.
Kean, the son of former New Jersey Gov. Tom Kean Sr., missed more than 100 House votes during his absence, though his office maintained that he continued to perform constituent services and campaign activities remotely.
The congressman&#8217;s remarks drew support from some lawmakers who have publicly discussed their own struggles with mental illness. At the same time, critics argued that while Kean&#8217;s diagnosis deserved empathy, his constituents also deserved greater transparency during an absence that stretched nearly four months.
New York Democratic Rep. Ritchie Torres, who has spoken openly about living with depression, wrote on <a href="https://x.com/RitchieTorres/status/2071993828534346043">X</a> that he had &#8220;deep sympathy for anyone struggling with mental illness,&#8221; but added that &#8220;public office carries a duty of transparency.&#8221;
&#8220;When a public official is absent for an extended period,&#8221; Torres wrote, &#8220;the public has a right to an honest explanation.&#8221;

NJ Rep. Kean Returns To Capitol Hill After Months-Long Absence

Congressman Gone MIA Reveals He Missed 3 Months Of Work Due To Depression

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Depression

Mental Health

Politics

Tom Kean

A speeding New Jersey driver who struck and killed two World Cup fans before fleeing the scene was charged on Wednesday, authorities said. 
David J. Zapata-Vera, the 26-year-old driver, surrendered himself to authorities on Tuesday after speeding through a Newark intersection as two women were walking across the street.
He was charged with two counts of vehicular homicide, two counts of leaving the scene of a motor vehicle accident resulting in death, and two counts of endangering an injured victim, <a href="https://newjersey.news12.com/2026/06/24/newark-man-charged-in-fatal-hit-and-run-that-killed-two-women/7Bq8OuMsh2GYswRm00t1cz">according</a> to New Jersey News 12. He is currently being held in the Essex County jail without bond. 
The victims, Maria Isabel DeLos Angeles, 61, and Mariana Elizabeth Valverde Beltran, 58, were in the crosswalk when they were hit by Zapata-Vera, <a href="https://njecpo.org/arrest-in-fatal-hit-and-run-crash-that-killed-two-women-in-newark/">said</a> the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office. The two women were walking home from a World Cup watch party on Saturday night, The New York Post <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/06/25/us-news/two-nj-women-killed-in-hit-and-run-crash-as-they-walked-home-from-world-cup-watch-party/">reported</a>.
Surveillance cameras on the street captured the red sedan speeding through the intersection before it struck the victims, sending them airborne.
Manuel Candelaria, a witness to the tragedy, claimed that Zapata-Vera accelerated through the intersection. “The light was changing, this side was red, this side was yellow, I don&#8217;t know if he was drunk, but anyway he put the gas and that&#8217;s what happens,” he said.
The two victims were rushed to the University Hospital Newark, where they were pronounced dead.
“You have to live with this for the rest of your life. I hope the person is found but also for that person it’s something you have to live with for the rest of your life, it’s on your conscience,” Jeffrey Chacon, Beltran’s cousin, said to WABC. “My dad is managing his emotions with trying to contact everyone in Ecuador, her sisters, her son.”

World Cup Watch Party Ends In Unthinkable Tragedy

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World Cup

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