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Briana: "NJ Spotlight News tonight on "NJ Spotlight News," commuter nightmare.

After months of closures due to underground sinkholes, repairs to interstate 80 are delayed again.

Plus over 50,000 acres burned by the wildfire this past week.

State officials warned wildfire season is far from over.

>> looking down the road in the future there will be increased climate induced fire threats.

Briana: Locomotive engineers back at the negotiating table as of potential strike is looming.

>> I don't have the luxury of living in the land of puppies and rainbows.

We are fiscally constrained and run a railroad every day.

Briana: NJ decides 2025.

With that just a few weeks before the gubernatorial primary, Jack Ciattarelli is leading the Republican pack but the Democratic side is a tossup because the majority of voters do not know the candidates.

>> They need to make sure voters get out and vote to mobilize those voters, that is crucial in these next several weeks.

Briana: "NJ Spotlight News" begins right now.

>> From NJ PBS Studios this is "NJ Spotlight News" with Briana Vannozzi.

Briana: Good evening and things for joining us.

I'm Briana Vannozzi.

We begin with top headlines.

First sinkhole repairs along route 80 taking longer than expected.

They originally slated the two left bound lanes to reopen may 4, but that is been pushed back to the end of the month.

Officials are blaming the delay on extensive sonic drilling which is typically faster than conventional drilling to install him micro piles near the bridge.

The good news is DOT says all lanes are scheduled to reopen on June 25, in time for the summer season that section of the highway has been closed for sinkholes formed and voids were discovered under the roadway wreaking havoc on traffic and small businesses in the area.

According to the DOT crews are working around the clock until repairs are complete and they are urging the public to check the website for updates on detours until then.

Also, an about-face from the Trump Administration.

House reversed course Friday and said it restored legal statuses for thousands of foreign nationalsIt comes aftere international students and recent grads sued when they found out their visas had been revoked.

According to the lawsuits several students were targeted for minor traffic violations and other similar infractions, some of which had already been dismissed.

Others say they received no explanation at all.

In New Jersey about two dozen international students solve their visas -- records are moved from a database that tracks students in the U.S., causing fears they would be arrested or deported.

ACLU NJ is representing six Rutgers students targeted.

The University says records for all those students have been restored but at least two New Jersey-based immigration attorneys say students they represent have not had their visas reinstated and that it remains unclear when and if they will be.

It appears former U.S.

Senator Bob Menendez has no more cards left to play.

A federal judge Friday denied bond for the convicted extended her and his two codefendants meaning they cannot delay their prison date pending appeal.

The U.S. district court wrote all three men failed to identify anything that would result in reversal or order for new trial.

A businessman Fred Daibes and will will report to prison on May 19 while Menendez will begin serving 11 years in federal prison on June 6.

That date was already delayed giving him time to support his wife, Nadine Menendez, also a codefendant, and her own trial.

She was found guilty on 15 counts of bribery and corruption and is slated to be sentenced in June.

All have maintained their innocence.

The widespread scheme where they allegedly received cash and gold bars among other things in exchange for political favors.

Firefighters still working to control a fire broke out at a recycling facility in Camden County Sunday.

Flames engulfed the 15 acre mulch yard and high winds expanded the blaze to a field outside the facility which led to the voluntary evacuation of 50 homes in the area along with shelter-in-place orders due to all the smoke.

Officials say the cause of the fire is still under investigation and crews will remain on the scene another 48 hours.

It is one of two major fires to Iraq in South Jersey in a week with dry, windy conditions contribute to both.

The Jones Road wildfire in Ocean County is 75% contained after spreading through more than 15,000 acres.

Officials say it could be the largest wildfire in 20 years and we're still far from the end of wildfire season.

I am joined by a climatologists, Dave Robertson.

Thanks for your time.

How have the recent weather patterns, I'm thinking about these blustery winds, the low humidity, ultimately just dry, contributed to both the intensity but also the spread of the Jones Road fire and now this new fire folks are contending with.

Dave: It has been a nasty recipe.

Something we commonly see this time of year.

When you still don't have the humidity you see during the summer.

The air can be dry.

We are still in a windy time of the year.

This time of year, a considerable amount of windy days.

You have to go a week or two without any precipitation and are in a very vulnerable position.

The month started out on the wet side.

Just like February and March we will come in pretty close to normal for precipitation for the month.

It is not always how much rain falls, it is how often.

That has been the problem this month.

We started wet and have gone dry.

Briana: The seasonal factors play a role.

Especially in a region where you have the Pine barons.

-- barrens.

Dave: This is traditional fire season.

You look at the big ones, that the Jones Road fire was compared to and almost all the top 10 historically in New Jersey have occurred in the month of April.

Not all of them.

We are not out of the woods any time of year, but this is when the leaves are not on the deciduous trees yet, the shade on the forest floor.

You have all the debris of leaves and twigs from last fall and winter.

Your grasses have not greened up yet which enriches them with moisture.

Humidity tends to be lower in the spring than summer, the wind is stronger.

Then you have episodes you can't count on, timely precipitation and you go a couple weeks without rain.

In an area like these, it is incendiary.

Briana: Are there long-term climate trends adding to the increased risk we are seeing in New Jersey in terms of these wildfires?

Dave: Yes and no.

A lot of the fire danger is what has happened weather-wise in recent days but we are getting warmer.

That drives things out faster.

There is evidence our rain is falling more episodically.

When it rains it pours, but we have interludes when we don't get a lot of precipitation.

A little more toward the extremes, into the increased warmth.

Put them together and that can heighten the fire danger somewhat.

Ultimately, it is what has happened lately in the weather department that will determine if a fire breaks out.

Once the fire has broken out, how fast it might spread, if you are looking at how windy it might be or how low that humidity is.

Briana: I'm curious, what are climate models projecting for wildfires in the next 10 to 20 years?

Are they showing any change in terms of risk or intensity?

Dave: Yes, there have been general studies.

I'm not familiar with one specific to the Pinelands, but when you look out West or even to boreal forests in the Arctic, there was a tendency to see more of them because you will have a warmer growing season, a more extended growing season.

You will have areas less snow cover and it will melt out earlier in the spring.

That will allow things to dry out faster.

Looking down the road in the future, there will be increased climate induced fire threats.

Then it comes down to managing the fires and how we will address those down the road.

Briana: New Jersey state climatologist Dave Robertson, always good to talk to you.

Contract negotiations back at square one for New Jersey transit and its locomotive engineers union.

The rail agency rescinded the latest contract offer after union members overwhelmingly voted against it.

Sending them back to the drawing board with three weeks before a mid-May strike or lockout could take effect.

Reporter: Officials celebrated cutting the rim and on and -- NJ transit's new station but behind the scenes they are scrambling, circling the wagons, amidst a looming strike Night Reign engineers who voted down NJ transit's latest contract offer.

It would stop the railroad dead in its tracks for 350,000 commuters.

While new negotiations are scheduled this week, neither side is giving in on wage increases.

>> I have heard this refrain from the union over three months that their members are very angry that they will not be able to get a $55,000 a year pay raise.

I will tell you who else will be more angry, the riders.

>> Our choices are take it or leave it.

NJ transit engineers do not like that choice.

Reporter: The opponents have posted dueling websites.

New Jersey transit says their demands would drive fares up 17% and require a 27% increase in the controversial corporate transit fee.

Union leaders rejected that out of hand.

>> They are trying to create an inflated number to shock the public and ignore the fact that engineers have a greater wage gap than just about every other employee when you compare them to other railroads.

Reporter: The engineers website posted a strike countdown clock showing the trains stop May 16 and that their members will vote down anything less than wage parity with engineers on the New York railroads.

That is a nonstarter for the New Jersey transit CEO.

>> I do not have the luxury of living in the land of puppies and rainbows.

I live in the land where we are fiscally constrained and run a railroad every day.

That is what we will do and I look forward to continuing negotiating with the union.

Reporter: NJ transit says it is fully staffed, but the union claims it is actually understaffed and that some have already left for better paying jobs.

On Sunday a social media post noted widespread cancellations across the system due to scheduled engineers not being available.

Both sides explained that was a normal shift change issue.

>> We will not be engaging in any type of job action that is illegal under the railway act.

We did not then and will not in the future.

>> If there is a scintilla of evidence that something is not right, you can be rest assured we will be prepared to take full action.

Reporter: The agency estimates providing limited alternate transit service during a strike could cost taxpayers $4 million a day.

Given the current political and marketplace instability business leaders want to avoid any further tax hikes or service disruptions.

>> If you get to an impasse, then yes, because we need the assistance to continue.

We would need the governor to say no, you can't strike, or the federal government.

To the impact on New Jersey residents is not an impact they should have to be part of.

Reporter: New Jersey transit avoided a strike for more than 40 years but negotiations have persisted despite federal mediation.

New Jersey transit finally rescinded its latest offer after engineers rejected the tentative agreement.

Regional analysts are hoping for resolution that is fiscally responsible.

>> Whatever solution comes out of this negotiation needs to be sustainable for both the state and employees.

And make sure the system is able to serve the riders, because it is a critical utility of our state.

Reporter: Contract talks resume Wednesday morning and New Jersey transit will announce plans to deal with a potential strike later this week.

I'm Brenda Flanagan, "NJ Spotlight News."

Briana: We have more than a month before New Jersey's June 10 primary.

A new Rutgers poll shows who is leading in the race for governor.

About 42% of registered Republicans and Republican leaning independents say they are pulling for former something in Jack Ciattarelli.

While Democrats are more divided among the six candidates in the crowded race for that party's nomination.

But it all comes down to turn out.

Ashley, good to talk to you.

Before we get to front runners I want to start with this.

How significant is the percentage on both sides of voters who simply do not know who any of these candidates are?

Ashley: It is a pretty big percentage.

At least one third are unsure of who to vote for it would we still see large numbers that have no opinion on the favorability of the candidates or who do not even know who they are.

We have often seen this at least in New Jersey politics when talking about those running for governor and assessing favorability.

This is abnormal but shows voters are not paying attention right now given the national landscape.

Briana: What does Jack Ciattarelli's lead among Republicans suggest about momentum going into the primary and name recognition?

Ashley: A couple important things to note.

Tale of two primaries.

On the Republican side we have seen the polling of Jack Ciattarelli far and away.

Has support from Republican voters.

Given the margin of error, it is a substantial lead among who voters would choose from Republican leaders.

We have to remember this as registered voters when we talk about primaries.

Primaries are notary -- notorious for turnout and engagement.

Especially when this is the only big item on the ballot.

Briana: On the Democratic side given there is no clear front runner, is there messaging?

Are there events?

Could anything happen in the next couple weeks that might sway voter preference and perhaps get more people engaged?

Ashley: This shows us the race on that side is close.

That means any effort to sway voters, to make sure voters vote to mobilize, that are key to their base, that is crucial these next several weeks, whether it is through events or fundraising, getting out the messaging, doorknocking.

A crucial time for a lot of these.

Briana: On the GOP side, what role if any does an endorsement from Presto -- President Trump help in deciding the nominee?

Ashley: We asked this question and it is split, with some saying an endorsement would make them more likely to support the candidate.

And for some it would not influence their vote.

We do not know how an endorsement from President Trump or the Trump Administration would play out in this gubernatorial election especially once it hits the general.

Briana: You mentioned loan name recognition is not typical, but what do these campaigns need to do in the next couple weeks in terms of boosting that?

I would say a lot of these folks have been forward facing in terms of holding events.

But how does it stack up to previous gubernatorial elections?

Ashley: I don't think we are looking at something all that different.

New Jersey voters have an election every year.

It is a national highly partisan climate right now coming down from the capital.

It is difficult for voters in any state to understand all the information, recognize the candidates, to recognize a primary is approaching in several weeks.

It is about name recognition, not just within political circles, and organized interests, but with the average voter for June 10.

Briana: Anything you're looking at in terms of demographic, race in polling, now until June 10?

Ashley: I think it is more a numbers game of who will turn out.

And where we will see in a couple weeks.

Another low percentage of turn out like in the past?

Those voters who do turn out on June 10, it is a very consequential vote at stake.

Briana: Thank you so much.

The clash continues over who and what is to blame for energy prices that are expected to spike in the state this summer.

Friday representatives from all of New Jersey's electric utilities were asked to testify at a joint legislative hearing where they were asked if they would be willing to give back into the energy generation business, and about their role in sounding the alarm on the process that sets prices.

Joanna Gagis reports as part of our ongoing series under the dome, exploring the state government and impact on the people who live here.

>> We recognize our customers have faced and are facing rising energy costs due to multiple factors.

They include wholesale energy supply prices, higher costs driven by the PGM capacity auction and extreme weather conditions that have driven up electricity demand.

Joanna: The utility companies that deliver electricity addressed a joint legislature Friday as part of an investigation into why energy prices are set to spike in a month and what they can do about it.

>> It is no surprise New Jersey has resource adequacy issues.

Recent and anticipated PGM capacity results, retirements and urgent need for new transmission projects on the prospects of new large load customers have highlighted these concerns.

Joanna: PGM, the company that sets energy prices across 13 states through auctions set a tenfold cost for spike in the last auction.

That is about to make customer bills spike 17% to 25% depending on your energy provider and with no new energy sources like wind energy coming online in the state, plus a nuclear generator shutting down in the last decade, the state is struggling to meet energy demands.

Republicans continue to blame Governor Murphy's energy master plan and holding companies to count.

>> Did any of it -- of you make it clear to policymakers in New Jersey that shuttering generation was going to spike prices?

>> Yes.

>> I heard from each and every one of you you are prepared to help advise the state as to appropriate solutions.

Why haven't you done that already?

>> It is no secret to us the solutions do come with a fair amount of political debate that companies are somewhat reluctant to get directly involved in and we prefer to be professionals giving advice, not partisans, to the best of our ability.

Joanna: a temporary solution proposed by BPU, asking the utilities to defer increases in payments until October, when energy prices come down due to cooler weather.

>> We are kicking the can down the road to give a little rate relief through the summer.

Joanna: the four companies said they are still developing a proposal for what that deferment will look like.

But Democrats suspect there was collusion in the PGM auction and pressed the utilities on that issue.

>> I would like to know who sent the memo around, lets everybody bid 10 times higher than last year.

If that does not smell of collusion I don't know what does.

>> I don't think we heard about it until all the public noise started happening at BPU.

When were you all as voting members aware there was an increase coming based on the last actions of PGM?

>> I believe auction results were made public last July.

Joanna: The company made it clear they do not have a vote in the auction.

Lyle owns a solar company in Flemington and says the rules guiding the auction are to blame.

>> The design of the auction is a single clearing price mechanism.

That means there are all kinds of bidders.

A lot of them are low prices and a few are high prices.

They take the highest price and give that to everybody.

That is pure profit taking.

What it should be is pay as bid.

What you bid in is what you get.

The auctions like that work much better and that can dramatically lower this price.

Joanna: While the legislature presses for answers, Governor Murphy has asked the regulatory commission to investigate the auction process.

In Trenton, Joanna Gagis, "NJ Spotlight News."

>> Under the domain possible in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people.

Briana: That will do it for us tonight.

Before we go, a reminder.

You can download our podcast wherever you listen and watch us any time by subscribing to the "NJ Spotlight News" YouTube channel.

Plus follow us on Instagram and blue sky to stay up-to-date on all the state's big headlines.

From all of us at "NJ Spotlight News," thank you.

Have a great evening and we will see you tomorrow.

>> NJM insurance group, serving the insurance needs of residents and businesses for more than 100 years.

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