>>> ONLINE AT INSIDER NJ .COM.

>> ♪°7 >>> WELCOME TO CHAT BOX.

I'M DAVID CRUZ.

IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS LEFT IN 2022, TIME TO LOOK AT WHAT'S HAPPENED .

INCLUDING POLITICS, EDUCATION AND BUSINESS.

WE BEGIN WITH THE ISSUE THAT HAS AFFECTED ALL THE OTHERS AND THAT'S HEALTH CARE AND A GLOBAL PANDEMIC THAT HAS SLOWED BUT CERTAINLY NOT STOPPED.

JOINING US TO TAKE STOCK OF WHERE WE ARE IN THIS FIGHT IS THE STATE HEALTH COMMISSIONER, JUDITH KELLY.

COMMISSIONER, GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN.

>> HI DAVID.

HOW ARE YOU?

>> ALL RIGHT.

COVID IS STILL TOP OF MIND RIGHT NOW IN YOUR DEPARTMENT.

WAS THE STATUS OF THINGS?

AS WE MET WE ARE SEEING COVID INCREASE .

I WANT TO BRING US BACK A YEAR AGO WHEN WE HAD WHAT WE CALL THE MONSTER OF ALL VARIANTS, OMICRON.

WHICH RESULTED IN DECEMBER, JANUARY SEEING 6000 INDIVIDUALS IN OUR HOUSE DOLLS.

WE ARE NOT QUITE THERE.

WE DON'T EXPECT TO BE .

AS BAD AS IT WAS A YEAR AGO, BUT WE ARE SEEING INCREASES IN OUR COVID HOSPITALIZATIONS.

TODAY, WE ARE SEEING 1300.

ABOUT 1300 PATIENTS IN OUR HOSPITALS WITH COVID.

150 TWO 160 ARE IN INTENSIVE CARE WITH 37% OF THEM ON VENTILATORS.

AND UNFORTUNATELY, WE ARE SEEING INCREASING DEATHS.

THE DEATHS THAT WE ARE SEEING AND COVID ARE IN INDIVIDUALS , 65 YEARS AND OLDER.

SO THIS IS STILL A VIRUS THAT PRAYS ON ELDERLY INDIVIDUALS AND 80% OF OUR DEATHS ARE IN THAT CATEGORY.

>> YOU TALK ABOUT THIS UPTICK.

WHY IS THAT?

HAVE PEOPLE JUST STOPPED MASKING?

STOP ENGAGING IN ALL OF THE PRECAUTION , PRECAUTIONARY ACTIVITY THAT SUPPOSED TO STEM THE TIDE?

>> I THINK WE ARE ALL WEARY OF COVID AND WE DO WANT TO GET ON WITH OUR LIVES.

WHAT WE KEEP TRYING TO TELL PEOPLE IS THAT THE PANDEMIC IS NOT OVER AND THE WAY TO GET ON WITH OUR LIVES IS TO GET BOOSTED .

WE DO KNOW THAT THE CURRENT BIVALENT BOOSTER IS EFFECTIVE AGAINST THE OMICRON VARIANTS THAT ARE CIRCULATING RIGHT NOW.

THAT'S THE A 5, AND DQ 1.1.

VERY EFFECTIVE AGAINST THOSE VARIANTS TO AVOID SERIOUS DISEASE , HOSPITALIZATION AND DEATH.

WE ALSO KNOW THAT MITIGATION STRATEGIES , MASKING, STAYING HOME IF YOU'RE SICK, WASH YOUR HANDS FREQUENTLY, MAKING SURE THAT YOU'RE VIGILANT WHEN YOU ARE GATHERING WITH YOUR LOVED ONES .

PARTICULARLY DURING THE HOLIDAYS.

PART OF OUR TICK WAS THE RESULT OF THANKSGIVING GATHERINGS.

SO WE ARE JUST ASKING EVERYONE TO START INTERNALIZING HOW THEY CAN PROTECT THEMSELVES, FIRST AND FOREMOST , SO THAT THEY STAY HEALTHY.

EVERYONE STAYS AS HEALTHY AS THEY CAN BE AND THAT THEY ARE NOT PASSING ON COVID TO THOSE WHO PERHAPS COULD RESULT IN HOSPITALIZATION AND UNFORTUNATELY, DEATH.

>> IT CAN'T HURT YOU TO MASK AND IF YOU'RE NOT FEELING WELL, SKIP THE PARTY, RIGHT?

>> SKIP THE PARTY AND CELEBRATE IN A DIFFERENT WAY.

WE ALL WANT HOLIDAY PARTIES.

WE DON'T WANT TO GATHER .

I THINK WE CAN DO IT SAFELY BUT IF YOU'RE NOT FEELING WELL, DEFINITELY DO NOT GATHER.

AND MASKS HAVE BEEN PROVEN TO BE 80 PER SENT EFFECTIVE.

>> NO EVIDENCE THAT ANYONE GOT HURT BY A MASK.

SO VACCINATION.

YOU AND THE GOVERNOR ISSUED A STATEMENT RECENTLY DIRECTED AT PARENTS.

TALK ABOUT WHAT THAT INITIATIVE IS.

>> WE HAVE A COUPLE THINGS GOING ON NOW IN THE STATE.

AND NATIONALLY.

WE DO KNOW THAT RESPIRATORY VIRUSES ARE CIRCULATING THAT WE ARE SEEING INCREASES IN WHAT WE CALL THE TRIPLE ENDEMIC OR THE TRI-DIMMICK.

COVID, RSV AND FLU.

WE KNOW THAT FLU AND COVID ARE VACCINE PREVENTABLE DISEASES.

IN OTHER WORDS, IF YOU GET THE VACCINE, IT MAY NOT PROTECT YOU FROM GETTING THE FLU OR COVID, BUT IT CERTAINLY WILL PROTECT YOU FROM GETTING VERY, VERY SICK.

SO WE ARE REALLY ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO GET VACCINATED FOR COVID WITH THE BIVALENT BOOSTER AND NOW THE FLU FOR SIX MONTHS AND OVER.

AND WE ARE NOW ENCOURAGING YOU TO GET THE FLU SHOT.

WE KNOW THIS YEAR THAT THE FLU VACCINE MATCHES VERY WELL WITH THE VIRUS , WHICH MEANS THAT IT'S EFFECTIVE VERY HIGH.

TAKE THE VACCINE SERIOUSLY.

THE COVID VACCINE, THE BIVALENT BOOSTER AND DEFINITELY THE FLU VACCINE, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS GET THAT FLU SHOT.

>> THERE WAS A REPORT FROM A CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEE THAT ESSENTIALLY SAID THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT BLEW IT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PANDEMIC AND PRETTY MUCH THROUGHOUT IT .

AND SUGGESTS WE ARE NOT READY THE NEXT PANDEMIC.

I KNOW THAT THE STATE IS GOING TO ENGAGE IN A SIMILAR REVIEW OF WHAT HAPPENED, BUT IN YOUR GUT, YOU MUST KNOW A FEW THINGS THAT YOU SAY TO YOURSELF , NEXT TIME WE ARE GOING TO DO THAT DIFFERENTLY.

CAN YOU SHARE ONE OR TWO OF THOSE?

>> I'D BE HAPPY TO.

THE FIRST THING IS PPE.

OUR STOCKPILE WAS EMPTIED .

THE NATIONAL STOCKPILE WAS EMPTIED.

AS YOU CAN RECALL, AND A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE PTSD FROM THIS AND I UNDERSTAND THAT TOTALLY.

WE HAD NO PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT.

AND WE WERE SOURCING AS MUCH AS WE COULD , AND WE DO KNOW THAT WE NEVER HAD ENOUGH.

NUMBER TWO, WHAT ELSE DID WE LEARN?

I THINK WE LEARNED THE VALUE OF PARTNERSHIPS , STARTING WITH THE LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENTS.

WE LEARNED THAT THE LOCAL PUBLIC HEALTH UP THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH , OUR WORKFORCE HAD BEEN DECIMATED.

AND WE WILL NEVER GO BACK TO WHERE IT WAS.

WE HAVE GIVEN THE LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENTS MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY BUILD UP THEIR INFRASTRUCTURE.

WE ARE BUILDING UP OUR INFRASTRUCTURE HERE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN HAVE THE NECESSARY DATA ANALYSTS TO BE ABLE TO REPORT IN A TIMELY FASHION.

WE HAD A VERY DIFFICULT TIME IN THE BEGINNING GETTING THE DATA THAT WE NEEDED TO BE ABLE TO BE MORE ACTIONABLE.

>> LET ME JUMP IN BECAUSE I'M RUNNING OUT OF TIME, COMMISSIONER.

ARE WE READY, IN YOUR MIND, FOR THE NEXT PANDEMIC?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

I'LL GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE.

DURING THE PANDEMIC, WE ALSO, AS YOU KNOW, HAD A W.H.O.

DECLARE A PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY .

WITHIN 48 HOURS, BECAUSE OF ALL THAT WE LEARNED DURING THE PANDEMIC, WE WERE ABLE TO BRING UP A LOCAL VACCINE SITE .

WE WERE ABLE TO BRING UP THE EDUCATION NECESSARY FOR THE SELECTED POPULATIONS THAT NEEDED TO BE VACCINATED.

AND WE WERE ABLE TO DEPLOY THE THERAPEUTICS NECESSARY TO HELP INDIVIDUALS THAT WERE SUFFERING FROM M POX.

THAT WAS ALL BECAUSE OF THE LESSONS WE LEARNED FROM THE PANDEMIC OF COVID.

>> ALL RIGHT.

HEALTH COMMISSIONER JULIE.

THANKS FOR COMING ON AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS.

>> HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO YOU.

>> WE ARE LOOKING BACK AT 2022 AND HAD TO 2023.

WE EXPAND THE SCOPE OF OUR DISCUSSION NOW WITH A TRIO OF GUESTS FROM AROUND THE STATE.

SENATOR VINCENT GOPAL IS THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE.

MICHAEL RASMUSSEN IS DIRECTOR OF THE RAVITCH INSTITUTE FOR NEW JERSEY POLITICS AT RIDER UNIVERSITY AND CARLOS MEDINA IS THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE STATEWIDE HISPANIC CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

JENS, GOOD TO SEE Y'ALL.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS.

>> THANKS, DAVID.

>> SENATOR, LET ME START WITH YOU.

SO MUCH HAS HAPPENED THIS YEAR AND SO MUCH HAPPENING NOW.

I WANT TO TALK ABOUT EDUCATION IN A MINUTE, BUT CAN YOU TAKE A FEW SECONDS RIGHT NOW TO KIND OF LOOK BACK AT 2022 AND THE YEAR IN THE LEGISLATURE?

>> SURE.

I THINK IT'S LOOKING AT NORMALIZATION FROM AFTER COVID.

OBVIOUSLY 2020, 2021 WAS COVID FOCUSED.

I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE VERSES THINGS ON PEOPLE'S MINDS NOW.

OBVIOUSLY THEY'RE STILL HUGE AFFECT, BUT RETURNING TO NORMALCY.

THIS IS A BAD FLU SEASON.

COLD SEASON.

GETTING THROUGH THE MONTH OF DECEMBER.

I THINK IS A LOT OF IT.

IN 2022, THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY HAD A LOT OF FEDERAL FUNDS.

CONTINUES TO AND MAKING SURE THAT IT SPENDS IT THE RIGHT WAY TO HELP THE RESIDENTS OF NEW JERSEY.

>> BILLS ON GUNS AND CAMPAIGN-FINANCE ARE NOW MAKING THEIR WAY THROUGH THE BODY.

THOSE ARE CONTROVERSIAL ISSUES.

WHAT ARE THE CHANCES OF THOSE BILLS ADVANCING?

>> I THINK REASONABLE GUN LEGISLATION SHOULD BE HEARD AND SHOULD HAPPEN.

I'D LIKE TO SEE US DO MORE ON ILLEGAL GUNS , BUT AS IT RELATES TO LEGAL GUN OWNERS, MOST GUN OWNERS THAT I TALKED TO DO BELIEVE THAT THERE SHOULD BE SOME RESTRICTIONS , IF YOU HAVE A HISTORY OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE OR YOU HAVE ABUSED A PET OR BEING INCARCERATED, IT SHOULD BE HARDER FOR YOU TO GET A GUN.

I THINK THOSE THINGS , SECOND AMENDMENT IS IMPORTANT.

IT'S PART OF THE CONSTITUTION OBVIOUSLY.

BUT LIKE ANYTHING ELSE, GO DRIVE A CAR , YOU DON'T JUST GET THE KEYS HANDED TO YOU.

YOU HAVE TO TAKE A TEST.

TAKE A LICENSE.

YOU HAVE TO DO ROUTINE THINGS AND THAT'S HOW IT SHOULD BE AS EARLY TO GUNS.

YOU CAN GO HAVE A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CASE AND BE EXPECTED YOU WILL GET YOUR GUN BACK A WEEK LATER.

>> 2022 MIDTERM TAKEAWAYS?

>> IT WAS A YEAR IN WHICH DEMOCRATS REGAINED SOME OF THEIR FOOTING AND SOME OF THEIR TURNOUT.

REPUBLICANS DID NOT COME OUT IN THE NUMBERS THAT THEY CAME OUT I THINK QUITE SO MUCH IN 2021.

OR EVEN IN 2020.

SO I THINK DEMOCRATS HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF WIND IN THEIR BACKS GOING INTO NEXT YEAR.

THEY WON ALL THE RACES EXCEPT FOR TOM KANE.

TOM KANE, TOM MALINOWSKI WAS THE ONE BIG CHANGE OF THE YEAR.

OTHER THAN THAT, IT WAS KIND OF A STATUS QUO HERE.

NO BIG SURPRISES.

>> CARLOS MEDINA, INFLATION ON ITS WAY DOWN.

GAS PRICES ON THEIR WAY DOWN.

UNEMPLOYMENT A CLOSE TO RECORD LOWS.

IS THE ECONOMY IN NEW JERSEY DOING AS WELL AS THOSE NUMBERS SUGGEST?

>> I THINK THEY ARE.

IF YOU LOOK AT THE EARLY PANDEMIC WHERE AS MANY AS A THIRD OF NEW JERSEY COMPANIES WERE SHUTTERED, RIGHT NOW, AT LEAST OF THE CHAMBER, WE SEE VERY FEW MEMBERS THAT HAVE PERMANENTLY CLOSED DOWN SHOT.

MANY ARE EXPANDING.

GOING INTO NEW GEOGRAPHIC REGIONS.

GOING TO NEW PROPERTIES.

RESTAURANTS LAW FIRMS.

ACCOUNTING FIRMS.

IT SEEMS LIKE A LARGE EXPANSION DURING THIS PERIOD IN 2022.

AND MANY WERE DRIVEN BY EDA WITH A LOT OF FUNDING AND GRANT OPPORTUNITIES.

SO I WILL SHOUT OUT EDA THAT A LOT OF THE EXPANSION WAS DUE TO MONIES THAT WERE AVAILABLE.

>> MEANWHILE, BUSINESS OWNERS TELL THE NEW JERSEY BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION THAT THEY ARE LESS OPTIMISTIC.

PESSIMISTIC WHEN IT COMES TO 2023.

WHY IS THAT AND DO YOU AGREE WITH THAT?

>> IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF THE JERSEY ATTITUDE, RIGHT?

IF YOU REALLY DIG INTO THOSE NUMBERS, A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE STATUS QUO.

THEY SAY THEY ARE NOT GOING TO HIRE .

THEY ARE GOING TO STAY AS IS.

I THINK EVEN THE QUESTIONS WERE A LITTLE SLANTED TO GET A RESPONSE THAT NJ BE I MAY HAVE WANTED.

BUT I CAN TELL YOU FROM THE HISPANIC CHAMBER PERSPECTIVE, WE ARE BLOOMING.

THERE WAS A STUDY BY THE LATINO DONOR COLLABORATIVE THAT THE GDP, THE GROSS DOMESTIC ADDICT OF HISPANICS IN NEW JERSEY WOULD BE $97 BILLION A YEAR.

WE ARE SPENDING MONEY.

WE HAVE INCREASED HOMEOWNERSHIP.

WE ARE OVER INDEXING IN THE JOB MARKET.

SO HISPANIC BUSINESSES, THEY CAN'T AFFORD TO SHUDDER.

THEY ARE PLUGGING AWAY AND I DON'T SEE THE DECLINE OR THE PESSIMISM THAT OTHER ORGANIZATIONS ARE CLAIMING.

>> SENATOR, YOU ALWAYS FEEL PRESSURE.

THE INDUSTRY THERE IS REALLY DEPENDENT ON GREAT WEATHER AND HELP FROM THE STATE.

WHAT'S THE BUSINESS CLIMATE AROUND MONMOUTH?

>> I THINK CARLOS HAD A VERY WELL.

SOMETIMES THE ORGANIZATION, IS THEIR JOB TO SAY THAT THE ROOF IS FALLING.

THAT'S WHAT THEIR LOBBYISTS AND THEIR MEMBERS AND THAT'S THEIR JOB.

I THINK ANYTHING CAN BE BETTER.

I THINK THAT WE HAVE SEEN CORPORATIONS STRENGTHEN .

UNFORTUNATELY OVER THE LAST DECADE, ACROSS BOTH GOVERNORS , WE HAVE SEEN MOM-AND-POP STRUGGLE.

WE SAW IT AT THE HEIGHT OF COVID WHEN YOU COULD GO INTO THE HOME DEPOT BUT YOU COULDN'T GO INTO YOUR LOCAL HARDWARE STORE.

IT'S HARD TO BE A SMALL BUSINESS IN NEW JERSEY.

THAT'S THE REASON WHY NINE OUT OF 10 SMALL BUSINESSES FAIL.

SO I'VE HAD GOOD CONVERSATIONS WITH THE ADMINISTRATION.

I THINK EDA DIRECTOR TIM SULLIVAN DOES EXTRAORDINARY JOB ABOUT HOW WE CAN LOOK TO STRENGTHEN SOME OF THESE MOM AND POPS.

THE ONES I CAN'T GET THE TAX ABATEMENTS OR THE WINDFALLS OR THE FEDERAL TAX .

MANY OF THE BUSINESSES THAT FAIL WERE RESTAURANTS I DID OUTDOOR DINING WHICH WERE GREAT FOR RESTAURANTS IN MY AREA.

AT THE MINORITY OWNED RESTAURANTS, THEY DON'T HAVE OUTSIDE TABLE SPACE.

SO WE HAVE TO BE MORE CONSCIOUS ON HOW WE CAN STAND UP TO THOSE MOM AND POPS.

>> LET ME STICK WITH YOU SENATOR AND SWITCH GEARS TO EDUCATION.

YOU CHAIR THE SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE.

WE'VE HEARD ALL YEAR LONG REALLY GOING BACK TO 22 AND 20 ABOUT LEARNING LOSS .

TEACHER SHORTAGES IT WAS THE SITUATION IN EDUCATION IN NEW JERSEY RIGHT NOW?

>> I THINK TEACHERS HAVE DONE AN INCREDIBLE JOB.

THEY CONTINUE TO DO, ESPECIALLY DURING THE HEIGHT OF COVID WHEN WE HAD DISTRICTS THAT HAD WI-FI CHALLENGES.

THAT HAS 70, 80% OF THE KIDS THAT DIDN'T HAVE ACCESS TO WI-FI.

KIDS IN MY DISTRICT HAD HUGE INTERNET CHALLENGES.

WE HAD A YOUNG GIRL AND IT WAS COVERED BY ONE OF THE NEWS OUTLETS YEAR.

IN THE MIDDLE OF HER VIRTUAL CLASS, STARTED CRYING BECAUSE SHE WAS HUNGRY.

SHE WASN'T GETTING ONE FREE AND REDUCED LUNCH MEAL A DAY.

TO ASK THOSE KIDS TO STEP IN NOW AND GO TAKE STANDARDIZED TESTS AND DO AS WELL AS THEY ARE EXPECTED TO DO, I THINK IT'S NOT FAIR.

I THINK OBVIOUSLY, VIRTUAL LEARNING HOW TO REALLY NEGATIVE IMPACT .

IT'S NOT THE SAME AS IN PERSON EDUCATION.

AND WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A LOT OF RECOVERY WORK TO DO.

THE STATE IS SITTING ON A LOT OF FEDERAL FUNDS.

I'M A HUGE PROPONENT OF HIGH DOSAGE TUTORING.

THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE I STARTED PUTTING THOSE PROGRAMS AND ANYTHING WE NEED TO LOOK AT TUTORING, ESPECIALLY WE SAW DURING BLACK AND BROWN KIDS HAVE THE HARDEST TIME AS FAR AS THE STANDARDIZED TEST .

AND I THINK WE NEED TO TARGET ON MATH AND SCIENCE AND A LOT OF THESE AREAS.

WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO BUT I DON'T THINK IT'S A SURPRISE.

COVID HAD A NEGATIVE IMPACT AND THE TEACHERS DID GOD'S WORK.

THEY DID AN INCREDIBLE JOB.

HOW DO YOU TEACH ?

I HAVE ENOUGH TROUBLE GETTING ON THE ZOOM AND GETTING TO THE RIGHT THING.

THEY TEACH THAT WE EIGHT HOURS A DAY.

I DON'T THINK THAT'S FAIR TO EVERYBODY.

>> MICAH, YOU ARE A PROFESSOR.

WE OFTEN NEGLECT TO MENTION THAT, BUT YOU ARE TEACHING KIDS.

WHAT'S THE LEVEL OF READINESS FOR THE KIDS WHO ARE COMING INTO YOUR CLASSROOM?

>> IT VARIES BY YEAR AND I REALLY SEE IT OVER THE COURSE OF SENIOR CLASS THAT WAS HERE BEFORE THE PANDEMIC , AND THEN THE CLASSES WHO'RE REALLY AFFECTED OTHER SOPHOMORES AND JUNIORS.

EMCEEING SORT OF AN IMPROVEMENT AGAIN NOW WITH THE FRESHMAN.

SO IT REALLY IS STRATIFIED BASED ON WHERE THEY WERE.

EVERYBODY WAS AFFECTED, BUT IT REALLY DEPENDS ON WHERE THEIR FOOTING WAS AT THAT MOMENT.

WITH REGARD TO NEW JERSEY, I THINK THE QUESTION IS NOT JUST THE PANDEMIC AFFECTING US, BUT IT'S HOW THE CULTURE WARS IN EDUCATION HAVE AFFECTED US AND CONTINUE TO DISTRACT US.

HOW DO WE GET THE FOCUS BACK ON EDUCATIONAL QUALITY AND AWAY FROM THAT IN NEW JERSEY.

AND A LOT OF SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS, A LOT OF SCHOOL BOARD CANDIDATES LOST RUNNING ON THOSE ISSUES, BUT A LOT OF THEM WON.

A LOT OF THEM CONTINUE TO RUN.

THERE'S A LOT OF INTEREST AMONG THOSE CANDIDATES TO RUN.

SO THIS WILL CONTINUE TO BE AN ISSUE THAT WE WILL HAVE TO CONTEND WITH IN NEW JERSEY WHEN IT COMES TO THE EDUCATION AGENDA IN THE STATE.

>> CARLOS, WHAT'S YOUR SENSE OF THE QUALITY OF KIDS COMING OUT OF OUR SCHOOLS?

IN TERMS OF THEIR ABILITY TO BECOME ENTREPRENEURS OR TO JUMP INTO THE BUSINESS WORLD?

>> WE ARE TALKING TO MANY COLLEGES INCLUDING BERGEN COUNTY COMMUNITY AND JERSEY CITY UNIVERSITY.

ABOUT FORMING A BETTER, CLOSER RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CHAMBER SO WE CAN MENTOR A LOT OF THOSE STUDENTS.

A LOT OF THEM DON'T HAVE ROLE MODELS THAT HAVE ATTENDED COLLEGE.

SO SINCE WE HAVE A NATURAL VERY LARGE NETWORK, MANY HAVE SPOKEN TO US ABOUT GETTING INVOLVED WITH THE STUDENT POPULATION WHICH WE ARE EXCITED ABOUT DOING.

BECAUSE WE SEE THAT IN THAT SAME STUDY THAT SHOWED OVER INDEXING IN THE JOB PLACE AND HOMEOWNERSHIP.

ALSO STUDENTS.

THE STUDENT HISPANIC POPULATION, I THINK NEW JERSEY HAS FIVE OR SIX HISPANIC SERVING INSTITUTIONS WHICH MEAN 25% OF THE STUDENT BODY ARE OF HISPANIC ORIGIN.

SO MORE AND MORE UNIVERSITIES ARE REALIZING THAT'S REALLY THE FUTURE TO HAVING A ROBUST ENROLLMENT AT THEIR INSTITUTION.

>> SENATOR, I WANT TO TRY TO LOOK FORWARD , 2023 IS GOING TO BE A BIG YEAR IN POLITICS.

EVERYONE IS UP IN THE SENATE AND THE ASSEMBLY.

REPUBLICANS SAY THEY FEEL RESURGENT, SHOULD DEMOCRATS BE WORRIED LOOKING AT 2023?

>> I DON'T KNOW HOW A SINGLE REPUBLICAN THAT LOOKED AT THE 2022 ELECTION, FROM THE HIGHEST INFLATION, GAS PRICES AND AND EVERYTHING AND SAID THEY HAD A GOOD NIGHT.

THE HISTORICAL'S GO THE OTHER WAY.

WE SAW A DEMOCRATIC CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATE WIN ABOUT EVERY DISTRICT IN THE STATE INCLUDING LINE.

I THINK TRUMP CONTINUES TO DESTROY THEIR PARTY.

HURT THEM.

I THINK MICAH HAD A GREAT POINT ON THE BRAMNICK EDUCATION.

ACROSS OUR 585 SCHOOL DISTRICTS.

THEY PUSHED THIS HARD.

IT DIDN'T LAND.

I'M DISAPPOINTED IN A LOT OF THE REPUBLICAN RHETORIC RIGHT NOW BECAUSE I DON'T THINK IS GOOD POLICY OR POLITICS.

BUT IT'S GOING TO CONTINUE TO HURT US.

ESPECIALLY ON ISSUES LIKE TEACHER SHORTAGE.

>> MICHAEL RASMUSSEN AND CARL MEDINA, THANK YOU FOR YOUR INSIGHTS.

THANK YOU FOR COMING ON AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL OF YOU.

>> THANKS, DAVID.

>> FINALLY TODAY, WHEN SHE'S NOT RUNNING THE SHOW HERE, JEN ECKERT IS BOSSING HERSELF AROUND AS PRODUCER AND HOST OF SOUND CHECK.

THE NEW MUSIC BE BASED SERIOUS ON NJ PBS.

JEN JOINS US NOT TO TALK ABOUT AN UPCOMING SPECIAL WITH ONE OF HER IDOLS.

JEN, WELCOME TO CHATTERBOX.

>> HELLO, DAVID.

WE MET WELCOME TO THE WEIRD DYNAMIC OF ME INTERVIEWING YOU.

HOW YOU DOING?

>> THIS IS WEIRD BUT IT'S GOOD.

IT'S DIFFERENT.

LET'S TRY SOMETHING DIFFERENT.

>> CHAT BOX AND REPORTERS ROUNDTABLE NOT ENOUGH FOR YOU?

>> NOT ENOUGH.

>> WHAT SOUND CHECK IS.

>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME ON.

>> SOUND CHECK IS NJ PBS IS NEW MUSIC SERIES AND THIS IS OUR THIRD EPISODE.

NEW JERSEY IS KNOWN FOR ITS MUSIC.

AS A DESTINATION FOR MUSIC FANS AND MUSICIANS WORLDWIDE.

SO WE BRING YOU INTO THE ICONIC VENUES WITH ARTISTS FROM ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND FOR OUR NEXT EPISODE, IT IS OUR HOLIDAY EPISODE WITH A ONE, THE ONLY DEBBIE GIBSON.

YOU MIGHT REMEMBER FROM 1980s POP HITS SUCH AS ELECTRIC USE, FOOLISH BEAT, SHE HAS TOURED THE WORLD.

SHE HAS BEEN ON BROADWAY.

FILM , TV.

AND NOW SHE HAS HER NEW HOLIDAY ALBUM CALLED WINNER LUCIUS.

SO WE MET UP WITH HER AT THE COUNT BASIE CENTER FOR THE ARTS IN NEW JERSEY.

WE TALKED WITH HER ABOUT THE ALBUM.

HER INSPIRATION FOR THE ELBOW.

MIXING IT UP WITH CLASSIC HITS AND NEW SONGS.

THEN WE FILTER PERFORMANCE AND SHE DOES EVERYTHING FROM LET IT SNOW, TO WHITE CHRISTMAS.

WHICH FEATURES A DUET WITH HER FATHER WHICH IS REALLY BEAUTIFUL.

TO SOME NEW HITS.

SO IT WAS REALLY AN ENTERTAINING EXPERIENCE.

YOU WOULD THINK YOU WERE WATCHING A BROADWAY SHOW.

WATCHING HER PERFORM THIS ALBUM.

>> SO THEY SAY NEVER MEET YOUR HEROES AND I KNOW YOU'RE A DEBBIE GIBSON FAN BACK IN THE DAY.

DID YOU HAVE ONE IMPRESSION GOING IN AND ANOTHER ONE COMING UP AFTER YOU SPOKE TO HER?

>> YOU KNOW, SHE WAS THE SOUNDTRACK OF MY 1980s YOUTH.

I USED TO PUT THE HAT ON.

TRY TO EMULATE HER HAIR.

I MEAN EVERYTHING.

SO MEETING HER, I WAS ACTUALLY REALLY NERVOUS.

I REALLY GET NERVOUS , BUT SHE MADE ME NERVOUS AT FIRST.

YOU KNOW WHAT?

SHE TOTALLY IS EVERYTHING YOU COULD EXPECT.

HER ENERGY.

SHE IS BUBBLY.

SHE IS GREAT.

SHE IS JUST SO MULTITALENTED.

>> ALSO PART OF THAT SHOW THAT'S COMING UP WAS ANOTHER 80s , 90s POP STAR, RIGHT?

>> YES.

WE TALKED WITH A FRIEND AND LONGTIME COLLABORATOR JOEY McINTYRE OF NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK FAME.

HE AND DEBBIE BECAME FRIENDS KIND OF AFTER THEIR BIG POP SUCCESS WITH NEW KIDS AND HER HITS IN THE 80s.

AND THEY FORMED THIS BOND.

THEY CALL EACH OTHER POP SOULMATES.

THEY HAVE DONE SHOWS IN VEGAS TOGETHER.

THEY HAVE DONE DUETS.

THEY DID A DUET OF ONE OF HER HITS, LOST IN YOUR EYES WHICH HAS OVER 1 MILLION HITS ON YOUTUBE.

IT CAME OUT LAST YEAR.

AND THEY HAVE A NEW SONG ON THE HOLIDAY ALBUM CALLED HEARTBREAK HOLIDAY WHICH IS JUST THIS BITTERSWEET , LONGING FOR LOST LOVE ON THE HOLIDAY SONG.

IT PULLS AT THE HEARTSTRINGS.

>> I ALWAYS FEEL LIKE THESE POP STARS FROM THE 80s AND 90s, THEY ALL KNOW EACH OTHER ANYWAY AND THAT SOMEHOW THEY ARE ALL HANGING OUT TOGETHER.

>> THEY ARE ALL IN A CLUB AND ON A GROUP TEXTING GROUP CHAT.

NO.

THEY TALKED ABOUT OF THE KIND OF HAVE FORMED THIS GREAT CREATIVE BOND LATER IN THEIR CAREERS AND ARE SO APPRECIATIVE OF WHAT THEY STILL GET TO BE ABLE TO DO.

SO THEY ARE DEFINITELY , THEY ARE ARTISTS.

THEY COMPOSE THE SOFTWARE ALBUM OVER THE PHONE , SO THEY WERE GOING BACK AND FORTH SINGING DIFFERENT TRACKS TO EACH OTHER.

SO THEY REALLY ARE POP SOULMATES.

>> WHAT ARE THE AIR DATES FOR THE NEXT SOUND CHECK?

>> SOUND CHECK WITH DEBBIE GIBSON , THE HOLIDAY SPECIAL, AIRS TUESDAY, DECEMBER 20th AT 9:30 P.M. THAN IT HAS ENCORE PRESENTATIONS ON CHRISTMAS EVE AND CHRISTMAS DAY, AS WELL AS FOR OUR NEW YORK FRIENDS, AIRING ON WLIW, SO CHECK YOUR LOCAL LISTINGS.

>> JEN ECKERT IS THE SENIOR PRODUCER OF CHAT BOX AND REPORTERS ROUNDTABLE, AND THE PRODUCER AND HOST OF SOUND CHECK.

THANKS, JEN.

GOOD TO SEE YOU.

TO WORK NOW.

>> FINE.

LET'S GO.

>> THAT'S CHATTERBOX FOR THIS WEEK AND FOR 2022.

THANKS AGAIN TO JUDY , THEN GO PAL, MICAH RASMUSSEN AND CARLOS MEDINA.

YOU CAN FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER AND SUBSCRIBE TO THAT YOUTUBE CHANNEL FOR FRESH CONTENT EVERY DAY.

IT'S BEEN A GREAT PLEASURE HANGING OUT WITH YOU EVERY WEEK THIS YEAR.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR KIND WORDS OF SUPPORT AND YOUR APPOINTED CRITICISMS THAT WE TAKE THEM BOTH VERY SERIOUSLY.

WE ARE BACK IN JANUARY.

HOPE YOU COME BACK TOO.

I'M DAVID CRUZ.

FROM ALL THE CREW HERE AT TWO GATEWAY CENTER IN DOWNTOWN NEWARK, THANKS FOR WATCHING.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS.

HAVE A SAFE, PEACEFUL ONE AND WE WILL SEE YOU NEXT YEAR.

>>> MAJOR FUNDING FOR CHATTERBOX WITH DAVID CRUZ IS PROVIDED BY THE MEMBERS OF THE NEW JERSEY EDUCATION ASSOCIATION.

MAKING PUBLIC SCHOOLS GREAT FOR EVERY CHILD.

AND JM INSURANCE GROUP.

SERVING THE INSURANCE NEEDS OF NEW JERSEY RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES FOR MORE THAN 100 YEARS.

EMOTIONAL SUPPORT IS PROVIDED BY INSIDER NJ.

A POLITICAL INTELLIGENCE NETWORK DEDICATED TO NEW JERSEY POLITICAL NEWS.

INSIDER MJ IS COMMITTED TO GIVING SERIOUS POLITICAL PLAYERS AND INTERACTIVE FORUM FOR IDEAS , DISCUSSION AND INSIGHT.

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