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Briana: 13 arrests at Princeton University as students continue their sit ins and protests of the war in Gaza.

>> It was vile to see police on this campus, because police should not be on any university campus.

Briana: Plus, students at Eastern regional high-speed out in solidarity, accusing administrators of censorship after several were suspended for a planned pro-Palestinian walkout.

>> The walkout faced men of this pushback.

It was the same exact premise for the same exact thing, innocent lives lost.

For us to be seen as pushback, we don't understand.

Briana: Also, the state looks to power up, improving another round of offshore wind projects, but Jersey shore mayors are pushing back.

>> The big question is why are you doing this.

It is economically not feasible.

Briana: And bird flu warning.

Concerns in the Garden State after cases of the virus are confirmed in several states across the country.

NJ Spotlight News begins right now.

♪ >> From NJPBS Studios, this is NJ Spotlight News with Briana Vannozzi.

Briana: Good evening and thanks for joining us this Tuesday night.

I'm Briana Vannozzi.

The pro-Palestinian movement has shifted from encampments to full-scale occupations on college campuses.

13 people at Princeton University were arrested Monday night after taking over an administrative building at the Ivy League school.

It is one of several demonstrations that have taken place over the past week at the school in protest of the war in Gaza.

Organizers at records are not going anywhere either, maintaining about 60 tents set up on the University's Voorhees Mall.

Similar encampments and occupations have LED to weeks of tensions at other colleges across the country, including at the universities of Texas and North Carolina, Emerson, and Columbia, where dozens of students are occupying Hamilton Hall on campus, facing suspension and vowing to remain until Columbia meets their demands to divest and disclose financial ties with companies linked to Israel, as the war rages on with more than 34,000 Palestinians killed.

As the standoffs escalate, more people are questioning the roles universities play in free speech.

Ted Goldberg is continuing to cover the situation in Princeton and has the latest.

Ted: the scene here at Princeton has certainly calmed down from yesterday, when 13 people were arrested.

One of the graduate students who was detained and then let go spoke to us about her experience.

>> It was pretty bizarre.

When we first moved in, I was like, this is Princeton, I don't think this is happening every day.

Ted: she is not allowed on campus while her disciplinary summons plays out.

>> The university was totally silent.

They refused to speak with all of the bargaining committee, which included faculty, postdocs, students.

Ted: meeting with the bargaining committee was a demand for the protesters before they left the building that hosts the graduate schools.

>> It is graduate labs most financially obligated with department of defense funding.

It is critical to make these assertions that they must be transparent.

Ted: she had one last week to finish the semester, and she says her professors are helping her to wrap up classes.

While she has a court date in a few weeks, her status with the school is up in the air.

>> Barring us from campus is in effect a form of suspension, because if I can't be here to do my academic work, that creates conditions of suspension without calling it that.

>> It was vile to see police on this campus.

Police, I believe, should not be on any university campus.

7 student -- Ted: students like Tom say unless administration meets with the students, more buildings could be occupied in the future.

>> I can say we will be here until it is closed and they divest.

Ted: There will continue -- >> There will continue to be protests like this because the disciplinary causes we face are secondary to what is happening in Palestine.

Ted: Last night, the university president said -- As encampments grow, politicians from both sides of the aisle have condemned them, and some have condemned those condemnations.

>> Since they do not like this particular protest, they are willing to see and condone very heavy-handed reactions to it.

>> U.S. politicians do not really believe in the core values of U.S. democracy, right?

The students come on the other hand, very much believe in the core values of U.S. democracy.

>> I will certainly name Josh Gottheimer as one of the worst offenders in this.

Ted: Congressman Gottheimer was one of 21 members of Congress to sign a letter calling for trustees at Columbia to disband their encampment, and if they do not, they should resign so they can be replaced by individuals who will uphold the University's legal obligations.

Across the Hudson, expect these protests to continue with commitments right around the corner.

In Princeton, I'm Ted Goldberg.

Briana: The pro-Palestinian movement is not limited to higher Ed.

Several students at Eastern Regional High School in Camden County were suspended late last week after a walk out in support for Palestine was canceled by school administrators.

The students are now accusing leadership of trying to censor them, but district officials defended the action, telling Senior correspondent Joanna Gagis the event was canceled out of safety concerns.

>> The walkout was organized to speak out and really respect the innocent lives lost in Gaza.

Joanna: Students at Eastern Regional High School in Voorhees were planning a walkout last week to protest the deaths of innocent people in Gaza, but it was canceled by school administrators and three students ended with suspensions.

Ash Tavarez was one of them.

>> After the walkout was canceled, we received an email.

I went to the office with a couple of my peers.

All we wanted was to talk to the principal.

He tried to intimidate us out of the room, trying to threaten to write us up and suspension.

He was really dismissing us.

He would not even talk to us.

We were just trying to schedule a meeting and get a meeting to have communication.

I got suspended because I would not leave the room without a meeting being scheduled.

They call that insubordination.

Joanna: The walkout was canceled after the Camden County Commissioner Sinton email to the Voorhees Superintendent, raising concerns about how it was being advertised and who was intending.

>> The walkout had started to receive outside support.

Advertisements for the walkout went viral, inviting nonstudents and non-parents to participate.

It became what we thought to be a dangerous situation for the students, especially given the rise of anti-Semitism in our community and throughout the country and world.

Joanna: Tensions around these Palestinian protests have risen dramatically in recent weeks, leading to arrests and other disciplinary actions on college campuses around the country.

Students at Columbia University last night barricaded themselves inside their campus administrative building.

All of it leading to a heightened distrust between the Jewish and Palestinian communities.

We reach out to the principal and got no response, but the Voorhees superintendent said in a statement that a new united rally in support of basic human rights planned for May 20 is intended to demonstrate support for in a state of -- for innocent people on both sides of the conflict.

But pro-Palestinian students say they will not attend and that they are being treated differently than their Jewish peers who had a similar walkout after the attacks on October 7.

>> The walkout on October 13 faced none of the pushback.

It was the same premise, innocent lives lost.

For us to be seen as pushback, we are awaiting an answer to that.

Joanna: They say they have received hateful messages on social media accusing them of being anti-Jewish and pro-Hamas.

>> We have never said any of those statements.

It was disheartening to see a grown adult putting these labels on us that we have never identified with.

Joanna: But the student, who wants to remain anonymous, says it will not quench their efforts.

>> It makes us want to push our point out even more, to push past these narratives placed on us and to show people we are standing up for innocent lives lost.

Joanna: There suspensions ended today, and they hope to come to an agreement with the district on a new walkout.

Briana: More kids in New Jersey are getting screened for lead.

According to data released from the state health department from 2022 shows the majority, 78% of children who turn three that year, got at least one blood test.

That is an uptick from the year prior.

But as medical experts remind us, there is no safe level of lead in children and the consequences can be devastating.

Melissa Rose Cooper takes a look at how the state is trying to eradicate the problem.

>> When you hear about learning disabilities, think about the child, their auditory processing is affected and they cannot hear the difference between S as in Sam and F as in Frank.

Think about what that might be like when you who are trying to learn how to read.

Melissa: Just one example of the negative impact a child exposed to lead can face.

It is known to cause brain damage and behavioral problems in both kids and adults, but it is especially concerning as a child develops.

>> And also affects your short-term memory, and you learn your multiplication tables on Monday and on Tuesday you cannot remember them.

Sometimes the hallmark is you are trying as hard as you can and you still cannot learn like your peers who are not led burdened.

Melissa: It is an issue New Jersey is taking steps to address with more kids getting tested.

According to a new report, 78% of children who turn three in 2022 were tested at least once for lead, compared to 72% in 2021.

Data also shows the rates of lead poisoning has dropped in recent years, but that number is expected to go up since New Jersey is lowering its elevated level threshold from five micrograms of lead per deciliter of blood to 3.5.

>> There is no safe level of lead in a child's blood.

Any amount has a detrimental effect.

It is a very reassuring thing to see that that standard is being lowered in conjunction with this report.

Melissa: New Jersey is now looking to invest an additional $5.2 million to expand its lead screening program for children.

While many people tend to associate exposure with pipes, paint is the most common source of contamination, despite a nearly 50-year-old ban on lead paints.

>> Even though we are not as all of the country as the rest of the world, we are a very old state, and that means we have some of the oldest housing stock in the country.

Unfortunately, it means you often have a lot of vulnerable, lower income, or immigrant populations moving into an older housing stock, especially in cities that have a legacy of being industrial.

Despite the fact that we have sort of recognized the legacy of lead and what it does to people, we are still dealing with infrastructure and housing stock in a lot of our older municipalities where people are still being exposed to paint and other construction materials.

>> And we have other ones.

We have fire of attic medicines, which have been known to have led.

-- lead.

We have seen candies from over the years -- from other countries over the years which have lead.

Melissa: Early detection and prevention are key.

>> If you are living in an older home in New Jersey, built before the late 1970's, we suggest that the house be tested.

If lead is found, we have to separate the child from the source until such time at home is abated and cleaned up.

We suggest that all children between the ages of one and two have a blood test at age one and two.

If they skipped it, they should have it done as soon as possible after that.

Melissa: The proposed funding to expand the testing program as part of the governor's proposed state budget.

Lawmakers have until the fiscal year starts in July to approve it.

For NJ Spotlight News, I'm Melissa Rose Cooper.

Briana: Despite hitting a number of hurdles, state officials are letting the offshore wind industry know New Jersey is open for business.

The Board of Public utilities today opened up a fourth round of bidding for new wind farms, but the push comes as the administration trades blows with a group of Jersey shore mayors who do not want to see turbans filling up the ocean -- turbines filling up the ocean.

>> We are committed to seeing the economic development that offer wind is bringing to New Jersey.

>> New Jersey regulators today officially opened a fourth round of bids for new offshore wind projects which could add one point two to four gigawatts of clean energy to New Jersey's portfolio.

But the vote came amidst a whirlwind of regional challenges confronting the fledgling industry.

>> Certainly offshore wind is really at an inflection point right now.

0 An industry analyst says three New York projects recently collapsed due to problems.

They are out for rebates.

And while, New Jersey's Atlantic shore may ask to reportedly rebid its windfarm contract.

>> If we are going to build offshore wind in a responsible and cost-effective manner, then we need to have protections for the state of New Jersey.

There's a lot of interesting opportunities and potential competition, which I think is really what the state wants.

Reporter: What Governor Murphy wants is for New Jersey to develop 11 gigawatts of offshore wind power by 20 ready -- by 2040, but that is a much tougher target after developer Orsted canceled jerseys first two windfarm projects last October.

To compensate, the Board of Public utilities has sped up requests for bids, and this fort solicitation bakes in extra protections, like a $50,000 per megawatt security fee and another $100 million performance guarantee.

>> There is an additional $100 million letter of credit for any potential rebid's, and that is all to ensure the project completion.

We see it as incentives to ensure the projects are staying on track.

Reporter: As the saying goes, once bitten, twice shy.

Atlantic Shores did not respond to requests for comment on a possible rebid.

It is a contentious topic for eight mayors along New Jersey's coast, including all of Long Beach Island.

>> I have never heard nor have any of the other towns ever heard of why they are allowing someone to come back and rebid.

Reporter: The mayor's sent the B.P.

you a letter citing the consultant's report.

It projects Atlanta Shores' turbines could cost the town at six or $60 million in my classes and also claims a project rebid could eventually elevate ratepayer costs by higher than $6 billion.

>> They should have issued specific performance on the existing contract and go from there, but it is not going to be often double, because -- not going to be profitable, because this stuff does not work.

>> I can't speculate on potential projects or bids, but we will move forward on a competitive process and evaluate all the bids in the best interest of New Jersey residents.

Reporter: The board approved two New Jersey windfarms in January, but they are still months away from getting required permits and will not come online until the 20 30's.

Federal officials do plan to stream line regulations to ease the application process.

The fourth round New Jersey bids are due July 10.

I met Brenda Flanagan, NJ Spotlight News.

Briana: In our spotlight on business report, the Hudson tunnel project is expected to be an even bigger boon to the economy than originally thought.

A report released Monday from the regional plan Association now estimates the massive plan to build the gate really real tunnel -- the Gateway rail tunnel between New Jersey and New York will create 95,000 jobs, 20,000 more than the previous forecast in 2017.

The report also finds work will generate a massive $19.6 billion in economic activity.

Those numbers are based on three of the early work projects already underway or about to start for the new tunnel, which is part of the larger Gateway project that has been pending since 2011.

The plan for the project is to build two new rail tunnels and rehabilitate the existing ones that are more than a century old.

His big -- it is expected to be complete within the next 10 years.

>> Instrument is news for our region.

This project is happening and we are already starting to see the return on investment.

All that flow of capital and strong economic bond really rests on a well-functioning transportation system, and the Gateway program is the key to that.

Briana: The lawsuit to ban smoking on Atlantic City's casino floors just took a hit from a formidable team.

The Attorney General and unite here local 54, the main union representing casino workers, on Monday asked a judge to dismiss an anti-smoking lawsuit filed last month by a grassroots group of other casino workers who say they are quite literally sick from the secondhand smoke they breathe while on the job.

The group wants the court to overturn New Jersey's indoor smoking law which bans it virtually everywhere except casinos.

In a letter to the judge, the Attorney General defended the law, saying it does not deny any group of people equal protection and does not infringe on a constitutional right to safety.

The state and local 54 argue a total smoking ban would be catastrophic to Atlantic City and place thousands of jobs at risk, but opponents point to Park Casino outside Philly, which has been thriving since putting a ban in place.

>> This is an issue which has enormous amount of passion around it.

By the way, the unions are divided on this.

At the end of the day, whether it is through the courts or through a legislation, and by the way, I am not going to comment on a lawsuit, but my taste is that this gets resolved through legislation as opposed to the courts.

But whatever it is, I have said this from moment one and I will reiterate, if a bill gets to my desk, I will sign it.

Briana: On Wall Street, stocks tumbled after new labor data showed the Fed's 11 interest rates hikes are still not enough to ease price pressures.

Here is how the markets closed for the day.

Briana: Finally tonight, what you need to know about the bird flu outbreak in the U.S. That apartment of agriculture on Monday began testing samples of ground beef from grocery stores in states where dairy cows tested positive for the H5N1 virus.

It comes after FDA regulators sent samples of pasteurized milk had trace remnants of the virus, which has now been detected in 34 dairy cattle herds throughout nine states since late March.

Also, one person in Texas tested positive, and a dolphin in Florida is confirmed dead from bird flu.

This is the first time a bird flu virus has been detected in U.S. cattle, and while human risk remains low, there are a lot of questions about the scope of the spread.

Here to answer some of them is New Jersey's state veterinarian.

Thank you so much for joining me on the show.

Let's just put on the record that there are no outbreaks confirmed in New Jersey of bird flu, but what is the risk to the general public here?

>> The risk to the general public is right now very low.

According to the federal agencies.

As you pointed out, there are no outbreaks of bird flu currently in New Jersey.

Or in poetry of -- poultry or cattle, that we know of.

The current to the CDC, the FDA, and the USDA, currently the risk of transmission to people is low.

Briana: Let's talk a bit about that transmission.

How do we know how this virus is spreading and how it is being transferred?

We know there is one person confirmed to have contracted the virus in Texas, but also a dolphin, AC metal -- a sea mammal, has died from the virus.

Do we know how the virus is spreading?

Dr. Patil: The virus is spreading through migratory birds.

Basically come in contact with domestic poultry or wild animals out there, like foxes, etc.

Sometimes the marine animals like dolphins, they end up eating these dead birds as a food.

That is how we know that these wild animals are being infected with this for flu.

Briana: So it has to do with contact.

I think back to 20 when we had the outbreak in poultry.

The price of eggs skyrocketed.

That had a lot to do with folks who were handling birds who had contracted the virus.

So it is through contact.

Is that what you are saying?

Dr. Patil: In poultry, there is definitely direct contact as well as indirect means of spreading the virus.

Direct contact between poultry as well as through formites has shown to be transmitting this virus.

Briana: I think the question on a love folks' minds is generally, is it safe for me to drink the milk or eat the beef I am buying from the grocery store?

What can you tell us about that?

Dr. Patil: FDA has conducted some studies, and the preliminary results from those studies indicate that the pasteurization process is actually effective in activating the virus.

These studies are still ongoing.

The USDA is also sampling the rock beef samples.

I am hopeful that the best will come back with a safe report for all of us.

I am keeping my fingers crossed.

Briana: As we all are.

Dr. Amar Patil, New Jersey state veterinarian, thank you very much.

That is going to do it for us tonight, but don't forget to download the NJ Spotlight News podcast so you can listen anytime.

I'm Briana Vannozzi.

Thanks for being with us.

Have a great evening.

We will see you back here tomorrow night.

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