Tonight on a special 4th of July edition of NJ Spotlight News, summer is here and New Jersey's gubernatorial race is heating up. Governor Phil Murphy is term-limited and will be leaving office in January, after serving for eight years. Voters will choose his replacement in November, weighing Trump-backed Republican former Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli, who came close to ousting Murphy four years ago, against Democrat Mikie Sherrill, the four-term Congresswoman who is a former navy pilot and feder...
Jul 04, 2025•27 min•Season 14Ep. 776
Tonight on NJ Spotlight News, all eyes on Washington as President Donald Trump’s massive spending cut and immigration package gets a final vote. Also, cutting edge climate research and weather forecasting is on the federal chopping block in Trump's proposed budget. Plus, growing talk of developing new nuclear energy in the Garden State as New Jersey leaders try to balance surging electricity demands with ambitious clean energy goals. And, prices drop at the pump just in time for a weekend of hol...
Jul 03, 2025•27 min•Season 14Ep. 775
Tonight on NJ Spotlight News, House Republicans weigh a critical vote on President Donald Trump's sweeping spending cuts package, a day after the bill squeaked by the Senate. Plus, the leading budget officer for New Jersey Republicans weighs in on the state's new nearly $59 billion budget. Also, work is underway on the multi-billion dollar expansion of University Hospital in Newark, a step towards fulfilling a vision 50 years in the making. And, a pair of Rutgers Scarlet Knights make history, be...
Jul 02, 2025•27 min•Season 14Ep. 774
Tonight, on NJ Spotlight News…. The “Big Beautiful Bill” clears the US Senate but faces an uphill battle in the House… as we break down New Jersey’s largest-ever budget in state history; Plus, the White House wants the state’s interim U.S Attorney Alina Habba to serve a full four-year term…putting her nomination in play in the Senate; Also, “SAVE OUR FARM”, a land dispute over a farm in Cranbury has drawn the support of the Trump administration; And, OPEN FOR BUSINESS, the boardwalk in Seaside H...
Jul 01, 2025•27 min•Season 14Ep. 773
Tonight on NJ Spotlight News ... UNDER THE DOME, as lawmakers in Trenton pass a record $58 billion dollar dollar budget bill and advocates from both sides of the aisle are criticizing the what’s in and what’s been cut; Plus, the budget calls for diverting millions in opioid settlement funds away from community groups to the hands of New Jersey’s largest hospitals…AG Matt Platkin slams the plan; Also, CHRONIC UNDERSTAFFING , a new report finds several nursing homes are lacking in patient care; An...
Jun 30, 2025•27 min•Season 14Ep. 772
Tonight on NJ Spotlight News…. President Donald Trump is declaring a “giant win” after the U.S. Supreme Court rules lower courts can no longer issue nationwide injunctions on his executive orders, Plus, state lawmakers will vote tonight on the multi-billion dollar state budget, and they've already advanced tax hikes as part of the spending package. What will it mean for your wallet? Also, the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities seeks to bring internet access to all, pushing to expand connectivi...
Jun 27, 2025•27 min•Season 14Ep. 771
Tonight on NJ Spotlight News…. New Jersey lawmakers craft a budget deal in Trenton., but what’s in and what’s been cut from the Governor’s multi-billion dollar spending plan… Plus, state lawmakers pitch new bills to deal with New Jersey's growing energy crisis. Also, President Trump’s former attorney Emil Bove is grilled by Sen. Cory Booker after being nominated to become a federal judge. And, with summer temperatures soaring, the spotlight returns to the dangers of extreme heat on the job....
Jun 26, 2025•27 min•Season 14Ep. 770
Tonight on NJ Spotlight News, the brutal heat wave gripping New Jersey extends into a third day. Record-breaking temperatures continue plaguing most of the state, causing power outages, transit delays, road damage and putting residents health at risk. Plus, budget negotiations in Trenton heat up with five days until the deadline. Also, Congresswoman LaMonica McIver is arraigned on assault charges following last month's confrontation with ICE at the Delaney Hall detention center. She entered her ...
Jun 25, 2025•26 min•Season 14Ep. 769
Tonight on NJ Spotlight News, President Donald Trump calls for Israel and Iran to stand down with a tenuous ceasefire. Plus, a Supreme Court decision opens the door for Trump Administration’s immigration crackdown to continue. Also, as temperatures hit 100 degrees around New Jersey, paramedics in Paterson are distributing water and providing additional medical care. And, with summer in full swing, cuts to federal programs increase the risk of food insecurity among kids here in the state....
Jun 24, 2025•27 min•Season 14Ep. 768
Tonight on NJ Spotlight News, the U.S strikes three Iranian nuclear facilities and Iran retaliates, targeting the largest U.S military base in the middle east. Plus, Mahmoud Khalil is freed. The Pro-Palestinian activist at the heart of a high-profile deportation fight is finally released from ICE detention. Also, New Jersey braces for a heat wave, with many counties opening cooling centers to offer some relief from the rising temperatures. And, new numbers show the Garden State is having success...
Jun 23, 2025•27 min•Season 14Ep. 767
Tonight, a special edition of NJ Spotlight News…Two years in the making …. A comprehensive study of slavery here in New Jersey that’s often been overlooked. The NJ Reparations Council presented its findings on this Juneteenth holiday. Now…how to begin repairing the harm slavery caused to so many… and the discrimination and segregation that still exists in the state today?
Jun 20, 2025•27 min•Season 14Ep. 766
Tonight on NJ Spotlight News, with the cost of power soaring and a heat wave on the way, state regulators and utilities hatch a plan to offer short-term relief for electric customers. Plus, as a federal immigration crackdown sweeps the nation, ICE’s past problematic treatment of detainees resurfaces. Also, a federal judge rejects ICE efforts to remove a New Jersey resident who’s been legally protected for more than 15 years. And, Republicans in Congress target money for Planned Parenthood, threa...
Jun 19, 2025•27 min•Season 14Ep. 765
Tonight, on NJ Spotlight News… MEDICAID CUTS, state Democratic lawmakers call on the Trump administration to Save our Hospitals; Plus, NJ DECIDES 2025, the first joint public appearance for BOTH gubernatorial candidates… and the gloves are officially off; Also, RISING SEA LEVELS, the state debates an overhaul of its rules for building along the coast, as costs to shore communities rise; And, UNDER THE DOME, taxes, taxes, taxes, as the deadline for the state budget looms, advocates push for chang...
Jun 18, 2025•27 min•Season 14Ep. 764
Tonight on NJ Spotlight News, one escaped detainee from the Delaney Hall detention center in Newark is still at large. Mayor Ras Baraka claims the facility was never equipped to house thousands of ICE detainees. Plus, disgraced former Sen. Bob Menendez reports to federal prison. He will spend the next eleven years behind bars in Pennsylvania after being convicted of corruption & bribery charges. Also, breaking down how New Jersey will spend more than a billion dollars from opioid settlement ...
Jun 17, 2025•27 min•Season 14Ep. 763
Tonight on NJ Spotlight News, Tens of thousands of people gathered for "No Kings" protests in New Jersey on Saturday and across the country to stand up against the Trump Administration’s policies. Plus, security concerns are ramping up here in the state for public officials following the deadly attacks on Minnesota lawmakers over the weekend. Also, two escaped detainees from the Delaney Hall detention center in Newark remain on the run following the unrest at the ICE facility, as other detainees...
Jun 16, 2025•27 min•Season 14Ep. 762
Tonight on NJ Spotlight News, an uncertain path lies ahead for public media stations like NJ PBS after the House voted to slash federal funding. Plus, an uprising inside & outside of ICE's Delaney Hall detention center in Newark Thursday night, after detainees alleged they weren’t being given enough food and denied visitations. Also, Senior Political Correspondent David Cruz sits down with some of the gubernatorial candidates after a long and bruising campaign cycle. And, World Cup fever is ...
Jun 13, 2025•27 min•Season 14Ep. 761
Tonight on NJ Spotlight News, after firing the CDC's entire panel of vaccine advisor’s yesterday, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. appoints a whole new slate. Some in the medical community fear the rebuilt panel will push an anti-vaccine agenda. Plus, as deportations ramp up nationwide, anti-ICE protests are spreading, from the streets of Los Angeles to here in Princeton. Also, with the gubernatorial primary just barely in the rear view, what happens to Rep. Mikie Sherrill’s House seat if...
Jun 12, 2025•27 min•Season 14Ep. 760
Tonight on NJ Spotlight News, Rep. LaMonica McIver is indicted. A federal grand jury returns three counts against the Democratic Congresswoman for allegedly assaulting two ICE agents. Rep. McIver has said she will plead not guilty. Plus, it’s a done deal for NJ Transit and the agency’s train engineers, as union members approve a contract to boost their pay and keep the trains running following a dramatic strike. Also, the race for New Jersey's next governor is set. Rep.Mikie Sherrill will try to...
Jun 11, 2025•27 min•Season 14Ep. 759
It’s Primary Election day here in New Jersey, with high-stakes and highly unpredictable races to watch. Eleven candidates vying for their party’s nomination to be the next Governor. Will the gubernatorial hopeful with President Trump’s backing break through on the Republican side? And will the Democratic party favorite take the top spot for that ticket? Or will one of the candidates in this crowded field carve their own path to victory, without the aid of the county line ballot system? Plus, 80 ...
Jun 10, 2025•27 min•Season 14Ep. 758
Tonight, on NJ Spotlight News …. GUN CONTROL FIGHT, Attorney General Matt Platkin and 15 other states file a lawsuit against the Trump administration for allegedly legalizing civilian use of machine guns; Plus, the NJ DECIDES 2025 primary Election is one day away and candidates are making their final push for your vote; Also, STRIKE AVERTED, in the 11th hour nurses at Southern Ocean Medical Center reach a tentative contract agreement; And, PHARMACY DESERTS, pharmacists & lawmakers express co...
Jun 09, 2025•27 min•Season 14Ep. 757
Tonight on NJ Spotlight News: One Jersey Shore town tries to tamp down on rowdy crowds by imposing earlier closing times after a chaotic start to the summer. Reactions here in the state to new travel restrictions imposed on more than a dozen countries by President Donald Trump. Campaign spending is hitting record highs with the primary election just days away, especially by groups independent from the candidates themselves. And a new report says New Jersey schools are isolating students with dis...
Jun 06, 2025•27 min•Season 14Ep. 756
Tonight, on NJ Spotlight News … PRICE HIKE RELIEF …. The Governor today announcing millions to help offset; Also, a protest outside Delaney Hall for a Paterson woman who was wrongfully arrested then detained for overstaying her visa; And, getting ahead of the opioid overdose crisis here in the state by distributing harm reduction kits earlier to those in need.
Jun 05, 2025•27 min•Season 14Ep. 755
Tonight, on NJ Spotlight News … DEFUNDING PUBLIC MEDIA …President Trump has asked Congress to slash funding for stations like ours… the fight now heads to Capitol Hill; Plus, NJ DECIDES 2025, with less than one week until primary day, Affordability seems to be the key issue for voters as they head to the ballot box; Also, RISING ENERGY COSTS … the Governor and other legislators announce new solar development plans in an effort to keep utility bills down; And, POLICE SPENDING, a recent Rutgers st...
Jun 04, 2025•27 min•Season 14Ep. 754
Tonight, on NJ Spotlight News … The MAYOR STRIKES BACK - Newark Mayor Ras Baraka files a lawsuit for false arrest against Interim U.S. Attorney Alina Habba and a Homeland Security agent; And, NJ DECIDES 2025, President Trump weighs in on the Republican primary in support of Jack Ciattarelli, in the final stretch of the race for Governor; Also, with one week until primary day, some voters are getting out early or have already voted by mail, while the crowded field of candidates make a final push ...
Jun 03, 2025•27 min•Season 14Ep. 753
Tonight, on NJ Spotlight News … NURSES STRIKE, union workers at Southern Ocean Medical Center could be on the picket line next week after failing to reach a contract agreement; Plus, RUNWAY READY, Secretary Duffy celebrates the reopening of a runway at Newark airport AHEAD of schedule; Also, UNDER THE DOME, Climate advocates rally outside the statehouse for a bill that would make fossil fuel companies pay for the impacts of climate change; And, a HOMELESS HOUSING FIGHT in Toms River has created ...
Jun 02, 2025•27 min•Season 14Ep. 752
Tonight, on NJ Spotlight News … SANCTUARY CITY CRACKDOWN… the Trump administration singles out cities and towns around New Jersey… accusing them of standing in the way of federal immigration enforcement; Plus, FIGHTING FOR MEDICAID… as Republicans in Congress push for cuts to the program… Governor Murphy weighs the impact they’ll have on the state; Also, the GLOVES ARE OFF … with the primary election less than two weeks away…the gubernatorial candidates are on the attack … And, putting a spotlig...
May 30, 2025•27 min•Season 14Ep. 751
Tonight, on NJ Spotlight News … MIDTOWN MAKEOVER, state leaders from New Jersey & New York break ground on the new Port Authority bus terminal in Manhattan; Plus, FACING THE CHARGES, Congresswoman LaMonica McIver speaks out about the chaos she was swept up in outside the ICE detention center in Newark; Also, PEDESTRIAN SAFETY, as the state records its deadliest year for pedestrians in nearly 4 decades, funding cuts to improve safety loom; And, a land dispute over AFFORDABLE HOUSING in Cranbu...
May 29, 2025•27 min•Season 14Ep. 750
Tonight, on NJ Spotlight News … AIR TRAFFIC SLOWDOWN …fewer flights and fewer passengers traveled through Newark Airport over the holiday weekend, but the US DOT says safety improvements are arriving right on schedule; Plus, new federal Covid Vaccine guidance is raising serious concern among health care providers here in the state; Also, UNCERTAINTY AT THE SHORE… some business owners and experts are bracing for a potential dip in tourism this summer; And, UNDER THE DOME, a breakdown of the high ...
May 28, 2025•27 min•Season 14Ep. 749
Tonight, on NJ Spotlight News … CONGESTION PRICING LIVES ANOTHER DAY… a federal judge blocks White House efforts to end the tolling plan in midtown Manhattan; Plus, a federal lawsuit is filed against four New Jersey cities over their so-called sanctuary policies; Also, the U.S Senate repeals an emission policy that could impact the goal to get cleaner cars on the state’s roads; And, an active Hurricane season is about to hit, will the latest federal staffing cuts hurt forecasters’ ability to bot...
May 28, 2025•27 min•Season 14Ep. 748
Tonight, on NJ Spotlight News … CALL FOR ACTION ….on the heels of the DC shooting Congressman Josh Gottheimer urges his fellow gubernatorial candidates to support a bill banning anti-semetism; Plus, travelers brace for delays this Memorial Day weekend, after the F-A-A reduced flight capacity at Newark Airport… Also, UNDER THE DOME, lawmakers debate how to upgrade the electric grid, as residents prepare for rising utility bills. And, HIDDEN AT HOME, an in depth Northjersey.com investigation found...
May 27, 2025•27 min•Season 14Ep. 747
