Here are the top New Jersey news stories for Tuesday:

NEW YORK — A prosecutor accused Sen. Bob Menendez in a closing argument at his bribery trial Monday of putting his power up for sale to benefit three New Jersey businessmen who bribed him with gold and cash.

The presentation by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Monteleoni that will continue on Tuesday prompted the Democrat to scoff as he left the courthouse, saying: “The government is intoxicated with their own rhetoric.”

Minutes earlier, Monteleoni urged the Manhattan federal court jury to follow a trail of hundreds of emails and text messages between the businessmen and Menendez and his wife to see the link between the businessmen and the bribe proceeds found in an FBI raid on the Menendez residence in June 2022.

PLAINFIELD — Somebody has answers and they’re not coming forward.

Authorities are seeking the public’s help with recovering information related to a cold case: the deaths of two individuals in April 1973.

During the overnight hours of April 19 that year, John Sabbatino, 27, of New Brunswick, and Jeanne Biondo, 37, of East Brunswick, were found shot to death in separate areas of the state, hours apart.

Sabbatino was found deceased near Otis and Grove Avenues in Edison shortly before 4 a.m., according to authorities. Approximately three hours later, Biondo was found dead in a vehicle parked near the motor vehicle inspection center in Plainfield.

An interstate and a state highway in New Jersey are both entering months’ worth of lane closures for maintenance work.

The New Jersey Department of Transportation on Monday announced that Tuesday, July 9 is the expected start date for the major projects.

The work will interrupt traffic on the interstate highway during both daytime and overnight hours. The state highway work is scheduled to occur when the sun is down.

Work is scheduled to wrap up next spring.

⬛ Rutgers hiking tuition…again

Rutgers’ Board of Governor has approved a 4% tuition hike.

Tuition has now increased 10% in two years. With room and board, the average cost to attend Rutgers is over $33,000 per year.

The increase also makes Rutgers the second most-expensive in-state tuition in America. Only Oregon residents pay more.

Rutgers officials blamed inflation, however one the biggest drains on the Rutgers budget remains record expenditures for an athletics department that spends millions more than it brings in.

Students pay nearly $13 million in additional fees to support Rutgers sports.

It’s been more than 3 months since New Jersey Lottery recorded its largest jackpot hit of more than $1 billion.

But as of right now, the Garden State still has its hands on all of the money.

According to a press release from New Jersey Lottery on Monday, the $1.13 billion jackpot from March remains unclaimed.

Ahead of the March 26 Mega Millions drawing, someone purchased the sole winning ticket at ShopRite Liquor in Neptune Township, lottery officials announced with a buzzing press conference the day after the drawing.

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

New Jersey’s First News with Eric Scott is the longest running news program in New Jersey. Eric Scott began hosting the program in 1991.

It airs live on New Jersey 101.5 each weekday morning from 5:30 – 6 a.m.

New Jersey’s First News with Eric Scott is the winner of the prestigious National Edward R. Murrow Award for Best Newscast.

Eric Scott is the senior political director and anchor for New Jersey 101.5. You can reach him at eric.scott@townsquaremedia.com

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