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♪ Briana: Tonight on "NJ Spotlight News," resignation day for New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez.

nearly a month after being convicted on federal bribery and corruption charges, as he and his two codefendants asked for their convictions to be tossed.

Plus, NJ decides 2024, the state Democratic chairman Leroy Jones joins us from Chicago as the Democratic National Convention gets underway.

>> It was a breath of hope for our country, and you couldn't be in a better place.

You couldn't have been in a better environment.

Briana: Also, communities are pushing for more ways to fight flooding after a summer of persistent rain.

>> It is taken all of us some time to come to terms with the reality of how we are affected, but it is time to invest the money in the infrastructure that makes sense.

Briana: And, the FDA is on the verge of greenlighting an updated COVID-19 vaccine as the state is seeing a wave of new cases this summer.

>> cases are running rampant all over the place, so the sooner we can get ahead of this and try to get a little bit under control to reduce the risk of hospitalization and death, the better.

Briana: NJ Spotlight begins right now.

♪ Announcer: 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.

We begin with a couple of key stories we are following.

It's the final day in office for disgraced U.S.

Senator Bob Menendez who is resignation from the seed takes effect today.

The third-term Democrat was found guilty of a month ago on the 16th bribery, conspiracy, and for acting as a foreign agents to Egypt.

The once powerful party broker and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee spent four decades serving in public service.

Now, he faces a conviction that can see him sentenced to years in prison.

On Friday, Menendez pulled his name from the November ballot where he planned to run for reelection as an independent, but his own legal team also filed a lengthy motion in federal court asking a judge to toss the guilty verdicts, and grand Avenue trial.

Claiming that, quote, "high profile nature of the case affected the jury Scheepers decision."

It's unclear whether Menendez will negotiate a pardon from President Biden before he leaves office.

And it's not just Menendez.

Another story we are following tonight, his codefendants will Davis and Wael Hana -- Fred Daibes and while Hannah who were also found guilty in the same corruption trial, are also asking for their convictions to be thrown out.

Attorneys for them request new trials.

Fred Daibes' defense team argued evidence was insufficient in the case, basing the request on three points, including that the court barred Daebies' attorneys from presenting evidence showing he had a history of giving gifts to friends and those in inner circles.

He was found guilty on multiple charges of bribery and obstruction of justice.

Sentence for all three defendants is scheduled for October 29.

Meanwhile, the DNC kicked off this week in Chicago, and the first night packed a punch, with President Joe Biden, who would have been the nominee, delivering a political farewell address, after a lengthy standing ovation.

He ran through a litany of accomplishments from his administration, went on the attack against the GOP nominee Donald Trump, and made the case for the Democratic Party's knew nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris, telling the party, quote, "I give my best to you."

And then referred to Harris' election as a running mate four years ago as, quote, "the best decision he made it his whole career."

Harris came out after the speech, embracing Biden in a hug and an emotional moment.

Former Secretary of State Clinton also took the stage, delivering fairy remarks, and discovering the potential for the first female president.

Adding, she wanted her grandchildren and their grandchildren to know she had been there for Harris when the, quote, "glass ceiling finale shatters."

Day two has major headliners including President Barack Obama former First Lady Michelle Obama and the can gentleman Doug Emhoff.

One person who gets to see it all is New Jersey Democratic state committee chairman Leroy Jones.

He joins us from Chicago.

Thanks for taking a few minutes from what seems like a pretty energetic convention.

Take us inside day one, night one.

This is about Democratic unity, which a month ago, seemed like a far-fetched idea.

GUEST: Well, you are right, thanks for bringing me back to the folks in New Jersey.

Last night was elected, it was entertaining.

It was a breath of hope for our country, and, you can be in a better place, you couldn't have been in a better environment that just led to the enthusiasm, as I said, the hope and encouragement for the future of our country.

Briana: President Biden made this remark that he loves his job, but he loves his country more.

That, to me, and I think a lot of other folks, red like his reference to the fact that he stepped aside to the sort of pass the torch, as everyone has been saying.

Did you get that sense of being in the room, that there is a torch being passed to this next generation?

GUEST: Clearly, that was the case, Briana, and that is a keen insight.

Joe Biden is an example of profile in courage.

He put himself, -- he put the country before he put himself.

And last night was an indication of his service to our country.

50 years-plus of exemplary service.

Joe Biden is a loved man, and that love was expressed Last night and embraced by so many -- his family, his colleagues, Vice President Harris, all of that, it was expressed Last night.

It was Joe Biden's night last night.

Briana: Yes, we saw that when Kamala Harris came out on stage.

But you have to admit, it wasn't long ago that key Democratic leaders were also kind of pushing him out the door to make this happen.

So yes, there was a lot of admiration and respect.

But it wasn't without some real cardplaying there to make it happen GUEST: .

We will put that in the rearview.

We are about moving forward moving this country forward, this country is a galvanizing and unified effort in the Democratic Party's Lane and we will embrace that.

We are going to accept that and we will move to -- together with a spirit of energy that is second to none.

And that's what you saw last night.

Briana: How is that energy reflecting back on New Jersey's delegates there, of course, the state hasn't been without its own fractures.

We are coming off of the heels of Senator Menendez's resignation today.

There was the whole kerfuffle over the county line just a couple of months ago.

Is it just insiders who are feeling that energy, or do you feel like the party as a whole for New Jersey is benefiting from some of these ripple effects?

GUEST: Now, this is the party holistically.

I just mentioned in the question prior to that, we will put that in the rearview.

That was bad and this is now.

These are the moments of now.

Martin Luther King talked about eloquently in his speech before the country back in 1963 -- this is about the urgency of now.

And we are going to move forward with X. , with that spirit of now.

With the enthusiasm that the Democratic Party is not just a New Jersey about, throughout the rest of the country, has accepted the mantle of leadership and that spirit of energy, and that notion that there is a tomorrow for the United States of America.

Briana: So what are you looking forward to as the week goes on?

Looks like New Jersey is scheduled to have a moment in the spotlight tomorrow with Senator Booker.

Talk to me about that.

GUEST: New Jersey is not a swing state, as you know, but we have our moment of involvement here in a meaningful way.

Tonight, we will be participating in the roll call.

Tomorrow the convention will be led off by Senator Booker, who is named as co-chair, and he will be speaking at the opening gavel, and then you will hear from soon to Walz tomorrow -- soon-to-be Vice President Walz tomorrow and then a number of celebrities.

And that will be the continuation of the weeklong events here in Chicago.

Briana: Alright, will check back in with you, Leroy Joe, thank you so much.

GUEST: Always a pleasure.

Check back as soon as you can because we certainly have a lot to talk about as this week goes on.

Briana: The boost in that democratic excitement is also expected to spur higher voter turnout come November.

For both parties.

And election officials aren't taking any chances.

In Bergen County, training sessions are being offered to help voters get comfortable with new touchscreen machines.

It's an effort to avoid the bungled rollout of electronic voting in last fall's general election, where a lack of training and unfamiliarity with the machines led to long wait times and delays as a result.

Raven Santana reports.

>> I think it's easy enough.

It's kind of strange, but this is different, and I think I can get into it.

It's going to take my time to sink in.

Reporter: 75-year-old Everett Kearney says he is feeling more confident after casting his mock first vote on the new electric touchscreen voting machines during a demonstration at the United Senior activity Center in Hackensack.

It is one of three training sessions offered to the county to help voters prepare for the upcoming November elections, especially with the presidential election now looking to increase voter turnout.

>> When you are ready to start voting, you are simply going to tap "go to ballot" down in the corner.

Reporter: a Bergen County election specialist spent about one hour with seniors going over how to use the machines.

>> >> [Speaking Spanish] Reporter: The large touch screens allow voters multiple opportunities to review and change their selection, and even offered texts that can be enlarged.

The new machines cost the county some $15 million, and the demonstrations come after there was confusion with the new machines that were used during the election last fall.

>> Our old machines were over 30 years old.

They had a life expectancy of about 20, 15, 20 years.

So we had long exceeded their life expectancy.

So these machines were long overdue.

Reporter: Jamie Willis is the deputy superintendent of elections in Bergen County, and described the improved technology is more reliable.

>> It's better because now we have a paper trail.

We never had one before.

.

So it all can be checked when we ever do recounts, all the ballots are physically content one at a time, to make sure the results are accurate.

Reporter: In addition to English, that machines are also offered in Korean and Spanish, something 70 seven-year-old Juanita Ortiz says will make the process less intimidating.

>> I speak English and I know English, but I like to speak Spanish.

I need to read Spanish because sometimes I don't know what is the word, you know?

It's good.

Reporter: What did you like most about the machine?

>> It's easy.

In two minutes.

That is easy.

Touch in, touch it and that is it then you get out.

Reporter: Do you feel like a lot of your friends were nervous about the machines?

>> Yes.

Listen, this is almost all old people here.

You understand?

Including myself.

Almost 90% Spanish and I don't understand.

Reporter: The seniors I spoke with admit they are feeling a little anxious about the new voting machines, but also say they are embracing change.

Are you thinking about doing mail-in, for trying the new machines you saw today?

>> I would like to try the new machines.

Everything you comes out, that technology is getting better and we better learn about the technology.

>> We don't want them to be intimidated.

We want them to come out and vote.

Three ways to vote -- vote -- about by mail, early voting, and on election day.

Reporter: The next mark voting session will be held at a Senior activity Center on Monday, August 26 at 10:30 a.m. For those who can't make it, directions, as well, as a videos on how to use the machines can also be found on the County Scheepers website.

For NJ Spotlight News, Raven Santana.

Briana: While at New Jersey's rainfall totals were already well above average before we hit the spring season, heavy rain events have continued, including the most recent over the weekend, where four to five inches dropped in an hour for some towns, flooding streets, basements and businesses.

The consistent flooding means towns are spending more on resiliency projects and flooding prevention efforts.

Senior correspondent Brenda Flanagan reports on whether the investment is enough to minimize damage from these extreme events.

>> We are getting very sudden rainfall in huge volumes, in the infrastructure just can't handle it.

It wasn't designed for it.

Reporter: Allison MacLeod says this weekend's storms overwhelmed and across northern New Jersey.

In some places, more than four inches of rain per hour inundated homes and businesses.

It is a shift in rainfall patterns.

>> Believed used to have snow soaking rains and it gave time for the grounds to absorb it and to recharge.

Now when you have these sudden intense rainfalls, we are in the most densely populated state, we are very overdeveloped.

It just runs off of the water has nowhere to go.

>> It's happening consistently, to the same houses in the same neighborhoods.

Reporter: This is the mayor of Tenafly, an area where heavy downpours back up its silt -filled creeks, flooding damaging school.

>> we are getting 50 and 100-year storms constantly now and it has taken all of us sometime to come to terms with the reality of how we are affected, but it is time to invest the money in the infrastructure that makes sense.

Reporter: He says Tenafly will fight the floods by clearing the creeks with 1.6 million in federal funds, plus local matching dollars.

>> We have four miles of streams and it cost us about $500,000 a mile to clean these out.

We are pretty much where we need to be for that process.

The bigger challenge is kind of the bureaucracy and the permitting.

Reporter:.

Reporter: Process impacted homeowners will be notified next month.

Overall, New Jersey is getting $72.5 million from the Inflation Reduction Act.

It pays for multiple projects.

They>> Have been doing a green infrastructure projects to help retain and hold the water.

Some of this money has things like even oyster bad investments, residency things to help communities prepare for the level of water.

Reporter: Part of that will help to replace pavement in flood-prone series like Paterson, New York, and Perth Amboy.

>> Replace it with some landscape systems that can hold water, may be put in storage under the parking lots, it may be building cisterns to hold water to use for the gardens.

It may be gardens.

Reporter: He says green infrastructures are a cost-effective way to control heavy runoff and avoid pollution.

>> Those projects will be able to manage that water, prevent that water from getting into the combined source system.

>> I remember the days when you were wading through raw sewage for days after a flood event because there was no infrastructure in place.

Reporter: Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla says, after Superstorm Sandy's historic floods, city officials experienced an epiphany.

Hoboken is now midway through-- directly has been in an effort to build new productions including flood catch basins and parks with rain gardens to contain downpours.

Hoboken floods is rainfalls harder than 0.8 inches per hour, like this past Sunday.

>> Good news is that because of proactive measures that Hoboken has taken three years after Superstorm Sandy, you saw that water recede very quickly.

Reporter: he says the next phase will include floodgates that will deploy it when storms like Sandy threatened the city.

It's not cheap, but as storm events intensify in a warming world, it is economic reality.

I am Brenda Flanagan, NJ Spotlight News.

Briana: A new COVID vaccine targeting the latest variants of the virus could be approved by the end of, this week according to reports from the Washington Post.

Sources within the FDA say they are ready to sign off on the updated shot.

The news comes as the U.S. is experiencing the largest Summer surge of infections in two years.

According to the CDC, rates of hospitalization and death are also rising.

Through the release of a new booster, eventually making shots available before Labor Day, could turn the tide for more, I am joined by an epidemiologist from Montclair State University.

Stephanie, let me first ask you about the timing of this new vaccine which, if approved on this schedule, it will be out a couple of weeks earlier than last fall's latest booster shot.

Does that give folks an advantage in fighting off the virus?

GUEST: I think it does.

It's especially important that we try to get out ahead of this.

We know the numbers are increasing in terms of Casey's hospitalizations have been going up, and if we look at the wastewater counts, cases are running rampant all over the place.

So the sooner we can get ahead of this and try to get a little bit under control to reduce the risk of hospitalization and death, the better.

Reporter: Which strain does this vaccine target, and why is it that it has been so much tougher this summer wave seems to have hit just about everybody I know.

>> So this new vaccine is really looking at the lineages of KP 311, they are all under the Omicron variant so they are sub lineages from that last really big wave that we saw that was particularly dangerous.

What we are finding right now is that the variances that are coming out are doing what we expect them to do, which is becoming more transmissible.

They are causing illness they are transmitting from one person to the next even easier than they were before.

Thankfully, they don't seem to be causing more severe illness but anytime you have people who are sick, you have more risk of people having severe illness.

Briana: Yeah, that makes more sense.

What is the advice, should folks wait for the newest booster to come out or if they are itching to get one right away, do they get what is there and then wait the performance recommended by the CDC before getting another shot?

GUEST: So I think the good news is that the current vaccine does seem to be holding up, in terms of preventing severe illness.

I think if you are an individual who is at high risk either to exposure or to having severe outcomes, right, so being hospitalized because you have a core morbidity, I would recommend that you wait.

If you are young and otherwise healthy and you feel like you can avoid coming in contact with people who have: By practicing all the mitigation practices we have, wearing a mask from a meeting outdoors cap and keeping windows open for ventilation, maybe you can hold off a bit.

Briana: So it sounds like you are saying it depends on what type of production you are looking for?

Guest: Absolutely.

We are at a point where all of our decisions are decision trees really.

You have to look at your individual risk for exposure and for the type of outcome you may have committed to make a decision on the timing of the vaccination.

Against that if you are somebody who has a lot of comorbidities, who is a very high risk, I don't know that I would necessarily wait to get the new vaccine because the current ones are still highly effective.

That said, a lot of us haven't had a booster in quite a while and if you are at high risk, you might want to go and get it.

Briana: What do you make of the fact that the Arctic has been lower and lower?

Do you anticipate that because without such a big summer spike, more people will be interested in getting a new round of the shot?

Guest: So I think what we're seeing is sort of a return to baseline around how people feel about vaccinations in general, less than half of adults to get the flu vaccine every year historically and I think that's probably where we will start landing with the COVID vaccine.

I think with there being so much COVID going around -- I know at least four people in the past month who have had COVID, probably a little more -- there may be an interest for those who feel they are at risk to get vaccinated.

I think we are also going to start seeing people stop being quite so fearful of the vaccine, it's been around for several years now, it is tried and true.

It is not causing the severe outcomes in terms of side effects that a lot of people were afraid of.

And hopefully, people will be more comfortable getting vaccinated as time goes on.

BRIANA: Dr. Stephanie Silveira for us.

Thank you so much.

In our Spotlight on Business Report tonight, at New Jersey transit is still riding that discount train.

There is a new promotion of the real agency, this one targeting college student commuters.

Students who purchase monthly passes for September, October and November of this year it will get one month, December, after ride for free.

That is on top of the 25% discount New Jersey transit already offers for student passes.

Full and part-time college students are eligible for the district, but they have to attend a school offering what is called "student pass."

Registration is through their student portal, and they have to verify eligibility each semester.

Monthly passes also need to be purchased through the New Jersey transit app.

For everyone else, you still have next week for our holiday, it starts August 26, waiving all fares to ride the trains.

That is through Labor Day.

Turning to Wall Street, markets took a breather today after holding onto and eight-day winning streak.

Here is where the numbers close.

♪ Briana: That is going to do his procrastinate.

Before you go there -- that is going to do it for us tonight.

Before you go, a reminder to download the NJ Spotlight News podcast so you can listen to us anytime.

I'm Briana Vannozzi.

For the entire team, thanks for being with us.

We will see you back here tomorrow.

ANNOUNCER: NJM Insurance Group.

Serving the insurance needs of residents and businesses for more than 100 years.

Horizon Blue Cross Blue shield of New Jersey, an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield association.

And by the PSEG foundation.

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The opportunity to learn, to dream.

To achieve.

A chance to belong and to be an American.

[chatter] My name is Julia and I am part of the an NJEA member.

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