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ANCHOR: A nor'easter dumps up to 12 inches of snow in parts of the state.

The winter blast causing dangerous delays and school closings.

>> I am most concerned with the road conditions tomorrow morning as temperatures drop below freezing overnight.

ANCHOR: Plus... dire straits.

Three hospitals closing.

>> As a delegation we are not going to let that happen.

ANCHOR: And suicides at the New Jersey State prison prompt concerns over solitary confinement.

>> We have people saying they are not even getting out one hour per day.

ANCHOR: And immigration advocates speak out, concerned about a Latino voice.

>> We have yet to see any strong immigration proposals around immigration reform from leading candidates.

ANCHOR: "NJ Spotlight News" begins right now.

♪ >> From NJPBS Studios, this is "NJ Spotlight News."

ANCHOR: Thank you for joining us this Tuesday night.

After a mostly quiet winter, New Jersey got what forecasters believe is the biggest snowstorm of the season.

At least so far.

A quick moving storm ended around 1:00 p.m. but not before dropping up to a foot of heavy snow in parts of the state.

Early reports tallied 12 inches in Warren County.

Wind gusts up to 40 miles per hour knocked out power to several thousand homes and businesses during the height of the snowfall this morning.

Most of North Jersey got just a few inches.

About four in Verona and two inches of further south in Howell.

Coastal flooding was an issue along the shore.

Daytime high tide was the peak of flooding.

This is a parking lot in Keyport.

The powerful nor'easter resulted in thousands of canceled flights for the region, school and state office closings.

It was a much-needed snow day for some, and as Raven Santana reports, time to shovel out for others.

REPORTER: Many residents woke up to the sound of plows and salt trucks driving up and down streets after mother nature reminded us all, despite warmer temperatures, we are still in winter.

Today's winter storm dumped several inches of snow across the Garden State.

From High Bridge to Kenilworth, South Orange to Vernon.

He was more of a winter wonderland for Jersey, according to a meteorologist in Mount Holly.

>> The northern half of the state got the most snow, up that way, because it is a little colder.

REPORTER: He adds while South Jersey may have seen the actual snow falling, but they didn't get was an accumulation.

>> Further south, the temperatures are near to just above freezing, which is why the snow is struggling to accumulate this far south.

It is melting as it is falling.

Right now it looks like Sussex County has the most in the state .

We have several reports of eight to 12 inches in Sussex County.

>> Nobody wants ice over snow.

REPORTER: Joseph is the director of engineering for public works and facilities in the County of Union.

He says about 100 crew members been working around the clock salting and plowing streets since 3:00 a.m. >> Right now we probably have about 40 to 45 trucks on the road, but there are support staff and facilities, we are looking at about 65 pieces of equipment throughout the county.

REPORTER: This is one of four salt storage facilities the county utilizes.

This one holds about 1500 tons.

But he says through the storm, he expects 600 to 700 tons to be used.

>> This is probably maybe 1000 tons left in here.

This is one of our two main facilities in the County of Union and we have two other facilities we share with menus maladies.

-- with municipalities.

Our number one priorities are hospitals.

They will do a cut and plow the roads.

We don't have many complaints about the roads are not assaulted.

REPORTER: A state climatologist's concerns are he's not worried about cleanup, he's worried about ice.

>> I'm most concerned with road conditions tomorrow morning as temperatures drop below freezing overnight.

Those untreated roads, I think it is tomorrow morning that will have the traffic concerns, the travel concerns.

REPORTER: Robinson adds the battle is for tomorrow.

While the snow was here, look on the brighter side of the situation, as we may not see another snowstorm soon.

>> It seems more of our snow is coming in larger events, and not lasting as long underground once it is here.

By next week, maybe a memory.

People should take advantage and out on their sleds and skis and enjoy this for now.

REPORTER: I am Raven Santana.

ANCHOR: It's no secret, three major hospitals in Hudson County are struggling financially and asking the state for more than $100 million in fiscal relief.

This week, the New Jersey Department of Health ordered care point health system, which runs the hospitals, to submit disaster plans for this facilities, citing ongoing and serious money troubles the hospitals are saying the state order is causing unnecessary panic for medical employees and patients, while some lawmakers believe it is a signal the health system is a lifeline.

Senior correspondent Brenda Flanagan reports.

REPORTER: Care point's three hospitals in Hudson County show clear symptoms of ailing financially.

The state found these three hospitals are financially unstable.

Their cash flow so anemic the facilities could fiscally flatline and close.

>> It would be catastrophic if any of these hospitals closed, let alone two or three.

As a delegation we are not going to let that happen.

REPORTER: This Senator represents Jersey City and Hoboken and he calls care point a safety net, and notes behind the glittering high-rise façades, Hudson County is home to thousands of undocumented migrants and residents without health insurance who often seek charity care at the three hospitals.

Care point claims it has served more than 270,000 such patients since the Covid crisis, but only got a $10 million slice of jerseys $700 million in federal pandemic aid.

>> These hospitals handle much more charity care than most of their counterparts in the state.

Uncompensated care.

On top of that, their Medicaid reimbursements come of the high-volume of indigent patients they have on Medicaid, don't get them to a breakeven point.

REPORTER: The New Jersey apartment of health sent each Hospital a letter stating "do to care point significant financial distress, the hospitals make spirits a disruption in services or be forced to close abruptly."

It requested a so-called disaster plan for potential Hospital evacuations, but a care point spokesman replied "it is absolutely, categorically false to claim that any of them are at imminent risk of closing, and doing so only creates unnecessary stress on the dedicated physicians and staff working hard every day."

One mayor noted "this type of disaster plan is required of all hospitals, not just those expensing financial issues," into that all parties are working on solutions.

Close to 1700 folks have signed a change.org petition seeking at least $100 million in state appropriations and a $30 million governors grant in order to continue operating at an optimal pace.

>> I think that is an ambitious asked.

I think there will need to be accountability in terms of an audit, in terms of reporting from the fiscal monitor, transparency from the hospital system.

If we find tune that number to what is minimally necessary to survive and eventually thrive postclosing, you are looking at a more modest number.

REPORTER: He suspects care point could get an eight figure number in the stabilization aid from the New Jersey Department of Health, an up to keep it going while it negotiates a joint venture with Hudson regional Hospital, based in Secaucus.

Meanwhile, the state monitor will oversee care point's finances.

It has been sued by nonpayment by several vendors seeking millions of dollars.

>> We should look at a true public option in New Jersey and extending health care benefits to those among us who don't have documentation like New York and other states have done.

That would bolster our hospitals and health -- health care providers.

REPORTER: He says the charity health care system needs a funding upgrade.

I am Brenda Flanagan.

ANCHOR: Three years ago, the state put in place new limits on how long inmates can be held in isolation, or what used to be called solitary confinement.

Two recent suicides at the New Jersey state prison has led to concerns about whether the department of following the law.

Research shows inmates with mental illness should not be kept in isolated confinement for prolonged periods because it intensifies suicidal thoughts.

It is required that they can leave their cells for at least four hours a day, but a recent report shows that at least in some prisons, that isn't happening.

Our senior writer joins me now.

Calling, good to talk to you, what a great report.

I want to ask first what we know about these suicides and if there are details that show us that being in solitary confinement led to this tragic case.

Calling: -- colleen: There were five last year and two since January of last year.

In a restorative housing unit or a unit where you are set aside from the other folks.

That's something lots of studies have said is not good, particular for people with a mental health illness.

The person who died this year we are told by a number of sources did have some mental health concerns.

The Department of Corrections is investigating and not providing more details.

ANCHOR: How much time are inmates getting outside of their cells and, how do we know that information is accurate?

Colleen: One Gemini spoke with said in December he only got outside three hours in the entire month.

There is a state law that requires everyone to get out of there sell for at least four hours a day.

The state ombudsman for corrections it did a survey last year and found over the course of the spring, there were only three locations where individuals were actually getting those four hours out.

Anchor: When you spoke with the Department of Corrections, are they taking steps to at least meet the bare minimum requirements of this law, or are they taking steps to prevent situations like this where inmates died by suicide?

Colleen: They say they are really trying their best to meet the law.

There are a number of things that make that hard for them.

For instance, when you've got folks in older prisons like New Jersey State prison, which is one of the oldest prisons in the nation, the hallways are small and if there's any kind of an issue in a wing where folks are, and officers have to investigate, essentially there is a lockdown and no one can get out of there sell.

-- their cell.

That makes it harder if not impossible to get out.

In terms of prevention of suicides, the state has been doing a number of things.

They do screen inmates as they come in for mental illness.

They do have a task force now looking at this.

They say all officers, all staff are authorized to put anybody on a suicide watch.

We are not sure what happened in these last two instances, but something fell through the crack's and these people were able to commit suicide.

Anchor: Yeah, as is evident.

There is a correction on Bud's person -- ombudsperson who is supposed to look into this, and what did they find and does a bear out with what your research shows?

Colleen: Constant complaints the office gets a folks saying they are not getting out of their cells as required by the law.

The women's prison was where was most likely for folks to get out.

That's because those are smaller so it is easier for the officers to be able to get people in and out.

Anchor: Is there any indication the state is going to step in and put more oversight into this?

Colleen: That's a good question.

The on Bud's men's office says -- ombudsman's office says they are required to put out a report.

There is a report expected early next month from their perspective on what is happening in terms of compliance with the state law.

We will have to see what more they maybe have to say.

Anchor: You can check out Colleen's full reporting that shows how a New Jersey stacks up compared to the rest of the nation.

Colleen, thank you.

It is moving day for dozens of residents at the Stanley Holmes Village in Atlantic City.

Tenets at the aging housing complex are not going willingly.

They were given notice four days ago they would need to temporarily relocate to a nearby hotel while the local Housing Authority makes repairs that have been languishing at the apartments in some cases for several months.

As Ted Goldberg reports, advocates are calling this a Band-Aid fix for a much larger problem.

>> We had a moment of crisis where everybody can say we have to do better.

Reporter: Residents of Stanley Holmes Village finally getting a major repair but it has led to 20 people being forced to live at this hotel for about a month.

Two buildings have been evacuated so the housing 30 can patch leaks and sewage pipes.

People received these flyers last Thursday giving them four days' notice to pack their stuff.

>> The goal is to making it as least traumatic as possible.

No one wants to move from their units but these repairs are necessary.

People have to be out of their units so the goal is to make it as bearable as possible.

Reporter: This city councilman says they are providing three meals a day for the affected residents.

The flyers mention anyone staying here cannot cook in rooms or use a microwave.

People who moved to the hotel have other questions not initially answered.

>> Where will they park their cars?

What about my rent?

How will I get back and forth?

Those are key things we are looking at.

Reporter: Stephen Young leads the South Jersey chapter of the National action network.

He says residents got some answers last night my but there are deeper issues affecting Stanley Holmes, the oldest housing -- public housing complex in New Jersey.

>> The overall issues continue to exist if you don't get to the root of the problem.

All of those finances coming here all of those years, it's about maintaining the property.

These properties have not been maintained properly for years.

It is neglect and causing human rights violations, no heat and no hot water.

Reporter: People who live at Stanley Holmes have told us about the inconsistent hot water in their homes and heating that sometimes fails during cold weather.

>> We can't wait any longer, we can continue to wait.

This has gotten too far.

Reporter: Young says it took a lawsuit in large-scale attention for the Housing Authority to start making fixes and residents are organizing a bus to Washington, D.C. to bring more attention to concerns.

>> It took residents continue going to meetings to speak up, press conferences.

We've gotten in touch with the Secretary of HUD and not in got -- and have not done an answer from her.

We've gotten in touch with senators, no response.

Reporter: We reached out to the a CHA and did not hear back.

The councilmember says they've done a good job working with the Claridge Hotel to give folks a place to stay.

>> Stanley is a long-standing, historical problem.

Deep, structural disadvantages.

Long-term, Stanley has to change because it is almost impossible to bring Stanley up to a condition that people will be satisfied with and provide a humane standard of living.

We are doing patch work.

I'm optimistic that with cooperation and partnership it can get better.

Reporter: The ACHA will start repairs tomorrow.

Residents could move back in on the 11th but that is a tentative date and could change.

In Atlantic City, Ted Goldberg.

Anchor: The recent collapse of a border deal in Congress coupled with U.S.

Senator Bob Menendez's uncertain political future has immigration advocates worried about an overall lack of Latino representation for New Jersey and whether the nation will lose one of its fiercest defendants of the immigrant community.

Menendez made history as the first Otieno members of Congress from the Garden State could -- Latino members of Congress from the garden state.

Mendez has not declared whether he is running for reelection, but there's a lot of backroom chatter about ensuring successor is just as strong on the issue.

Reporter: Say what you will about Senator Bob Menendez, and nowadays there's lots to say, but there are few lawmakers in the deep water of immigration reform as Menendez.

That is him in 2013 when the so-called gang of eight vainly tried comprehensive immigration reform.

He has remained a leading voice, haranguing every president since, including the current one.

>> We are giving them a white paper that basically speaks to a host of better options, you control the border and deal with these issues.

I hope the president takes those options because if not, he risks becoming an asylum denier in chief.

Reporter: To see one of the leading senators be that sharp, that's the point advocates are aching about losing Menendez as a voice for Latinos and immigration reform in particular.

>> He has been a staunch advocate for copperheads of immigration reform, he's one of the earliest vocal proponents of detention centers in the state, he has advocated for redesignation of TPS, he's not been shy about criticizing the Biden Administration about Title 42.

Reporter: Make the road New Jersey says Menendez was unafraid to tackle the complexities of the immigration issue, which is something this State Senator says comes from lived experience.

It was something she called for in the earliest days of the Menendez scandal when many were calling for him to be replaced.

>> A Latino centered person, someone who understands the community and captures the voice, it is to me, that is the primary focus.

There is no vacancy currently right now but when there is one, Latinos in the state have to be loud and proud about who we want representing us.

Reporter: Ruiz isn't backing anyone in the Senate primary, but the point is taken by some for their own candidacy.

>> I worked with Senator Menendez with The Gang of Eight and immigration reform, we have figured out how to protect workers.

I'm ready because I understand the initial of the policy solutions.

Reporter: But she's pulling in single digits.

Like it or not, Democrats are likely getting either Murphy or Kim and another has overwhelmed advocates on the issues so far.

>> We have yet to see any strong immigration proposals are run copperheads of immigration reform from any leading candidates.

That's one of the biggest things that set the work of Senator Menendez apart, his advocacy around copperheads of immigration reform.

Reporter: This activist says you can't expect someone who is Latino to automatically have the best answers just because they are Latino.

>> A senator could be the greatest person when it comes to the issue of immigration, but if you are not comfortable standing next to that person because they have underlying corruption issues or some other bad policy stances, it may undercut the value they bring to the table in terms of the issue of immigration.

Reporter: Congress has decided immigration reform is off the table for now, again.

Getting it back to the front of the line of priorities has rarely seemed more difficult.

For many, that makes this hurt even more.

I am David Cruz.

Anchor: Turning to Wall Street for our spotlight on business report.

Stocks fell today after January inflation numbers came in higher than expected.

Consumer prices are up 3.1% over the same time last year.

That is a smaller annual increase that we saw in December, the report is sowing doubt over how quickly the Fed will cut interest rates.

Here's how the markets closed today.

♪ ♪ And that does it for us tonight.

Don't forget to download the NJ Spotlight News podcast so you can listen anytime.

For the entire NJ Spotlight News team, thank you for being with us, have a great evening, be safe on the roads, and we will see you back here tomorrow night.

>> New Jersey education Association, picking public school great for every child.

And RWJ Barnabas health, let's be healthy together.

>> Look at these kids.

What do you see?

I see myself.

I became an ESL to give my students what I wanted when I came to this country.

The opportunity to learn, to dream, to achieve.

A chance to be known and be an American.

My name is Julia and I am proud to be an NJ member.

>> Are future relies on more than clean energy, it relies on empowered communities, health and safety of our families and neighbors and the safety of our streets.

We are committed to sustainability equity and economic empowerment, investing in parks, helping towns go green, supporting civic centers, scholarships and workforce development that strengthen our community.

♪