New Jersey Budget: Gov. Sherrill signed a record $60.7B state budget, with lawmakers touting wins on affordability and school aid while some bills still face limbo over funding gaps. Immigration Enforcement: A surge in ICE arrests has been reported nationwide, including claims of thousands of kidnappings in days, keeping New Jersey’s detention and deportation debate front and center. Public Safety & Local Roads: Lavallette officials are pushing back on NJDOT’s proposed Route 35 traffic changes, warning state engineers may not grasp the seasonal beach-town realities; a public meeting is set for July 13. Courts & Rights: A judge temporarily blocked Philadelphia’s anti-ICE mask ban for federal officers, a fight that could ripple into how federal agents operate in New Jersey-adjacent jurisdictions. Business & Housing: Daewoo E&C is investing about $291M in a new 540-unit apartment project in Palisades Park, signaling renewed foreign-backed housing development in the state. Tech & Energy Policy: New Jersey lawmakers moved to end AI data center tax breaks and shift money toward cutting bills, as the state weighs power needs and growth. Independence Day in NJ: Independence Day events across the Garden State include Washington Crossing, Monmouth Battlefield, and Jersey City’s big festival and fireworks.