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♪ >> FOR NJ PBS, THIS IS NJ SPOTLIGHT NEWS WITH BRIANA VANNOZZI.

>> GOOD EVENING, I AM RAVEN SANTANA IN FOR BRIANA VANNOZZI.

>>> AMERICANS WILL BE ABLE TO START ORDERING FREE COVID-19 TESTS.

EACH HOUSEHOLD CAN ORDER UP TO FOUR AT-HOME RAPID TESTS.

IT COULD TAKE UP TO 7-12 DAYS FOR THOSE TO BE SHIPPED OUT.

THE FIRST TEST WILL NOT ARRIVE ON DOORSTOPS UNTIL THE END OF JANUARY AT THE EARLIEST.

AND AS THE DEMAND FOR COVID-19 TEST CONTINUES, A WARNING TONIGHT OVER COMPLAINTS ABOUT PRICE GOUGING AND RAPID TEST.

THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OFFICE IS ASKING CONSUMERS TO REPORT ANY UNREASONABLE PRICE INCREASES FROM BUSINESSES TRYING TO MAKE A QUICK BUCK.

MEANWHILE, HELP IS ON THE WAY FOR ONE NEW JERSEY HOSPITAL HIT HARD BY COVID-19.

PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN HAS ANNOUNCED THAT THEY WILL GET REINFORCEMENTS IN THE FORM OF MILITARY MEDICAL WORKERS.

THE ANNOUNCEMENT COMES AS HOSPITALIZATION STATEWIDE DROPPED FOR THE SECOND DAY IN A ROW.

THIS WAVE HAS NOT PASSED US YET .

ANOTHER 2600 CASES AND MORE THAN 100 NEW DEATH HAVE OCCURRED.

THERE ARE SIGNS THAT WE COULD BE TURNING THE CORNER.

SENIOR CORRESPONDENT BRENDA FLANAGAN REPORTS.

>> I THINK WE ARE MORE OPTIMISTIC THAN WE WERE TWO OR THREE WEEKS AGO.

>> Reporter: DOCTOR DAN VARGAS SAYS THAT WHEN OMICRON CASES STARTED PUSHING CASES UP OVER 30,000 PER DAY, HEALTHCARE STAFF DESPAIRED BUT RECENT TRENDS LOOK MORE ENCOURAGING.

>> IT IS MORE ASSURANT REASSURING TO KNOW THAT WE ARE DOWN ABOUT ONE THIRD FROM A WEEK OR SO AGO.

I THINK THERE IS LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL.

>> THE IMPORTANT THING IS THAT WE ARE SEEING A LEVELING OFF OF THE HOSPITALIZATIONS.

AND IT APPEARS THAT PEOPLE ARE NOT AS SICK.

IT IS NOT GETTING INTO THE LOWER LUNGS AND THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT.

>> Reporter: IT WAS ORIGINALLY PROJECTED UP TO 8000 COVID-19 PATIENTS COULD NASH BUT SOME HOSPITAL EXECUTIVES SAY THE PEAK COULD BE LOWER.

THREE DAYS AGO, NEW JERSEY HOSPITALS REPORTED ABOUT 60 COVID-19 PATIENTS AND THAT DROPPED TO ABOUT 5900 YESTERDAY AND 5800 TODAY.

JERSEY MIGHT CATCH A BREAK SAYS THE HOSPITAL HAD, KATHY BANNON.

>> IT LOOKS LIKE WE ARE LOOKING MORE AT THE OMICRON VARIANT WITH THE SHORTER LENGTH OF STAY.

I THINK THAT OUR PROJECTION WILL BE SOMEWHAT LESS.

I WOULD PUT IT CLOSE TO THE 6000S RATHER THAN 8000 AT THIS POINT.

>> SEVERAL HOSPITALS SAY THAT RATHER THAN SPENDING SIX OR SEVEN DAYS HOSPITALIZED, FOLKS THAT DO NOT REQUIRE ICU LEVEL CARE ONLY NEED A FEW DAYS BEFORE THEY ARE STABLE ENOUGH TO BE DISCHARGED.

IN THE ICU, FEWER AND UP ON VENTILATORS.

BEFORE, UP TO 30% NEEDED VENTILATION.

AND THE POSITIVITY RATE IS DROPPING AS WELL.

>> WE ARE SEEING GOOD SIGNS OF REDUCTION IN THESE THINGS AND THAT CAN ONLY MEAN GOOD NEWS OVER THE NEXT FEW WEEKS.

>> Reporter: THE NUMBERS OF THE HOSPITAL DOCTORS SAYS THAT THEY ARE STILL OVERWHELMED WITH COVID-19.

ALMOST 300 STAFF CALLED OUT TODAY.

THERE IS ANOTHER TEAM OF FEMA SPECIALIST, SIMILAR TO THE ONE THAT FLEW IN TO HELP TO THE FIRST WAVE IN 2020 IS ON THE WAY.

23 MEDICALLY TRAINED ELLA TERRY PERSONNEL WILL BE ARRIVING IN NEWARK.

>> THIS IS A BIG MORALE BOOST.

>> THIS IS A ROLLER COASTER RIDE THAT WE CANNOT GET OFF.

IT KEEPS GOING UP AND THEN DOWN.

IN THE SAME THING HAPPENS AGAIN.

I THINK, GENERALLY, MY STAFF FEELS WE ARE TIRED.

>> Reporter: DOCTOR JOSEPH DUFFY AT ST. PATTERSON SAYS HE WOULD WELCOME A FEDERAL STRIKE TEAM WITH OPEN ARMS.

>> WE NEED THAT QUITE BADLY.

THERE HAS NOT BEEN A SINGLE DAY SINCE DECEMBER 24 THAT WE HAVE NOT SENT AN EMAIL BLAST AND AN INTERNAL HOSPITAL BLAST ASKING FOR ADDITIONAL STAFF.

>> Reporter: WHICH COVID-19 PATIENTS AND UP ON VENTILATORS SHOWS VACCINATIONS AS A FACTOR.

16%, ONE OR TWO VACCINATIONS AND ONLY IF YOU % WERE VACCINATED AND BOOSTED.

>> YOUR CHANCES OF GETTING CRITICALLY ILL ARE A BIT LESS BUT THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF PATIENTS ARE CONTINUING TO GET SICK AND HAVE NOT BEEN VACCINATED.

WE HAVE NO PATIENCE THAT HAVE BEEN BOOSTED IN ICU.

>> Reporter: WHILE THE OMICRON SURGE MIGHT BE STARTING TO PLATEAU, THERE IS ONE MORE GRIM STATISTIC.

DEATHS ARE NOT TRENDING DOWN YET.

>> CASES WILL STAY STABLE AND HOSPITALIZATIONS WILL GO DOWN.

YOU CAN EXPECT TO WERE THREE WEEKS LATER, DURING THAT TIME PERIOD, YOU CAN EXPECT THAT THE MORTALITY BE TO BE PRETTY SIGNIFICANT.

TRUCK THEY HOPE TO SEE IMPROVEMENT BY THE BEGINNING OF FEBRUARY.

I AM BRENDA FLANAGAN, NJ SPOTLIGHT NEWS.

>>> SCHOOLS ARE FOLLOWING NEW TIMES.

1/5 OF ALL NEW JERSEY SCHOOLS ARE REMOTE AND ALL REGIONS OF THE STATE ARE REPORTING HIGH TRANSMISSION.

THE CHANGE MIMICS ONE FROM THE CDC AND COMES AS THE HEALTH COMMISSIONER STRESSES THE IMPORTANCE OF IN PERSON LEARNING.

BUT THEY ARE RECEIVING MIXED REVIEWS.

>> I AM HAPPY WITH THIS AND I THINK IT WILL KEEP KIDS IN SCHOOL.

AND THE UNNECESSARILY LONG QUARANTINES THAT IMPACT LEARNING AND INTERPERSONAL DEVELOPMENTS ARE NOW GOING TO BE REDUCED.

>> THEY ARE SHORTENING THE ISOLATION PERIOD FROM 10 DAYS TO FIVE.

>> IF YOU HAVE A SYMPTOMATIC INFECTION FROM COVID-19, YOU CAN GO BACK TO SCHOOL WITH A MASK.

AFTER DAY FIVE AS LONG AS THE FEVER HAS RESOLVED MORE THAN --.

>> THEY ARE UPDATING THE GUIDANCE SAYING IT ALIGNS WITH THE BEHAVIOR OF THE OMICRON VARIANT.

AND THE INFECTION RATE IN NEW JERSEY.

>> THE INFECTION MOST LEASE BREADS ONE OR TWO DAYS BEFORE SOMEONE HAS SYMPTOMS.

AND THEN THREE OR SO DAYS AFTER THE SYMPTOMS BEGIN.

AND AFTER FIVE DAYS, SOMEBODY WHO TESTED POSITIVE, IT GOES DOWN DRAMATICALLY.

>> Reporter: THIS IS WHERE THE GUIDANCE GETS CONFUSING.

>> SO WHEN DOES THE PERIOD START?

THEY TALK ABOUT DAYS ONE THROUGH FIVE BEING THE TIME WITH THE MOST CONTAGION BUT, AS WE TALK WITH HEALTH OFFICIALS, THERE COULD BE CLARIFICATION BECAUSE CONTACT TRACING UP TO THIS POINT START UP TO 48 HOURS PRIOR TO THE ONSET OF SYMPTOMS AS BEING PART OF THE CONTAGIOUS PERIOD.

>> Reporter: THERE IS THE ISSUE OF WHO CAN REMAIN SCHOOL IN THE CASE OF EXPOSURE GIVEN THE CHANGE.

>> ADULTS ARE NOT CONSIDERED VACCINATED IF THEY HAVE TAKEN THE VACCINATION.

SO WE ARE TALKING ABOUT >> WE HAVE A CRISIS OF KEEPING STAFF AVAILABLE.

>> I FEEL LIKE THE TIMING OF THIS DOES NOT MEET WITH THE VARIANT.

WHEN EPIDEMIOLOGIST OR INFECTIOUS DISEASE DOCTORS SAYS THE OMICRON VARIANT IS AS INFECTIOUS AS THE MEASLES BECAUSE IT IS AIRBORNE, THAT SHOULD GRAB ATTENTION.

>> THERE IS CONCERN ABOUT THEIR RESEARCH CONNECTING COVID-19 TO OTHER ILLNESSES LIKE CROUP COUGH.

>> WE DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS TO HAVE COVID-19 IN THE LONG RUN.

THERE SEEMS TO BE AN INCREASE IN NEWLY DIAGNOSED DIABETES IS FOLLOWING THE COVID-19 DIAGNOSIS.

>> Reporter: A CDC STUDY WAS RELEASED LAST WEEK AND IT SHOWS AN INCREASE IN TYPE I DIABETES AMONG KIDS.

BUT SCHOOLS HAVE STILL BEEN ONE OF THE SAFEST SPACES AMONG KIDS AND IT WOULD CREATE STRESS FOR KIDS AND TEACHERS.

>> THE 10 DAY QUARANTINE IS SO LONG.

IT IS TWO WEEKS OF SCHOOL.

NO MATTER WHAT YOU THINK, KIDS ARE BEHIND.

SHOWCASES SCHOOL SHOULD BE THE LAST PLACE TO CLOSE.

FOR NJ SPOTLIGHT NEWS I AM JOANNA GAGIS.

>>> IT LOOKS LIKE THE START OF AN UPHILL BATTLE FOR THE GOVERNOR.

MURPHY LOST DEMOCRATIC ALLIES IN BOTH THE SENATE AND THE ASSEMBLY FROM AN UNEXPECTED WAVE OF ANGRY REPUBLICANS.

EXECUTIVE POWERS AND HANDLING OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC.

DOWN WITH THE INCOMING SENATE PRESIDENT, MURPHY MUST DO ALL HE CAN TO PLEAD FOR COMPROMISE WHILE KEEPING THE PEACE AMONG BOTH PARTIES.

CHIEF POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT MICHAEL ARON SPOKE WITH CHARLIE STYLE, POLITICAL COLUMNIST, ABOUT THE STATE OF THE STATE ADDRESS AND WHAT A SECOND TERM WOULD LOOK LIKE FOR THE GOVERNOR.

>> JOINING US NOW IS CHARLIE STYLE.

POLITICAL COLUMNIST FOR THE USA TODAY NETWORK.

CHARLIE, BASED ON THE STATE OF THE STATE ADDRESS, WHAT DOES A SECOND MURPHY TERM LOOK LIKE?

>> TO ME IT IS STILL EVOLVING AND IT IS STILL A MYSTERY.

I THINK THE BIG WORD THAT I HEARD THERE WAS AFFORDABILITY.

OR A BIG THING.

IT IS VERY HARD.

I THINK HE IS GOING TO FOCUS ON THINGS LIKE REDUCING PRESCRIPTION DRUG PRICES.

WE DO NOT HAVE A FIRM PROPOSAL YET.

I THINK WE WILL HEAR MORE ABOUT PROPERTY TAXES AND PROPERTY TAX REFORM.

>> HOW MUCH OF WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT IS NEW?

AFFORDABILITY IS NEW.

THAT IS A REPUBLICAN TALKING POINT IN THIS STATE.

>> IT IS.

YOU CAN ALMOST HEAR JACK SAYING THAT SOMEWHERE.

THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS, THIS IS NOT ENTIRELY A REPUBLICAN TALKING POINT.

I THINK THIS IS A DIRECTION THAT WE WILL SEE MURPHY GO.

THE LEGISLATURE IS RETREATING AFTER THEY LOST MEMBERS IN THE ASSEMBLY.

THEY SAW PRESIDENT SWEENEY GO DOWN.

THEY ARE STILL A LITTLE SINGED BY THE BACKLASH.

>> DO YOU EXPECT MURPHY TO ATTACK TOWARDS THE CENTER?

OR WILL HE STAY IN TRUE BLUE PROGRESSIVE AS HE WAS DURING THE FIRST TERM?

>> I THINK HE WILL MOVE TOWARDS PROGRESSIVE IDEAS.

I DON'T THINK HE IS SURROUNDING THAT BUT I THINK PRAGMATICALLY HE KNOWS THAT HE CANNOT JUST STRIDE IN WITH THE MILLIONAIRE TAX THE WAY HE DID FOUR YEARS AGO AND TRY TO SET THE AGENDA AND LET EVERYTHING FALL FROM THAT.

I THINK IT IS THE OTHER WAY AROUND.

>> HOW ABOUT IN THE AREA OF COVID-19?

HASN'T HE PULLED BACK IN TERMS OF THE MANDATES THAT HE ISSUED IN THE FIRST YEAR?

>> YES AND NO.

I THINK HE SHOWED, HE IS STILL, HE HAS RETAINED HIS EMERGENCY POWERS EVEN THOUGH HE KNOWS THAT IS UNPOPULAR WITH THE REPUBLICANS AND SOME DEMOCRATS AS WELL.

AND, I THINK RESPONSIBLY SO.

SO, I THINK, WE DON'T SEE HIM FLEXING AS MUCH MUSCLE BUT HE HAS RETAINED THE CORE POWER.

>> HOW DO YOU SEE HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH THE NEW SENATE PRESIDENT?

>> I THINK IT IS HARD TO READ.

I THINK THERE WILL BE LESS FIREWORKS.

SWEENEY HAS RESENTMENT TOWARDS MURPHY.

THE RELATIONSHIP WAS PALPABLE.

I DON'T THINK YOU ARE GOING TO SEE TRADED BARBS WITH HIM.

I THINK HE IS MORE OF A CAUTIOUS >>> GOVERNOR MURPHY HAS A NEW NOMINEE TO HAVE THE STATE PRISON SYSTEM.

SHE HAS BEEN THE ACT OF COMMISSIONER FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF SINCE HICKS WAS FORCED TO RESIGN.

HE WAS THE SECOND COMMISSIONER AFTER THE PREVIOUS ONE WAS OUSTED.

HE SERVED PREVIOUSLY AS CHIEF OF STAFF TO HICKS.

THE GOVERNOR SAYS HE HAS BEEN IMPRESSED WITH KUHN SINCE SHE STEPPED IN AFTER THE RESIGNATION.

SHE REPORTEDLY HAS SUPPORT FROM PRISON REFORM ADVOCATES AND STATE CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS.

>>> AFTER RECORD 12 YEARS AS SENATE PRESIDENT, STEVE SWEENEY PRESENTED OVER HIS FINAL SESSION THIS WEEK.

HE ENDED HIS LONG-RUNNING TENURE.

THE VETERAN LAWMAKER SAYS HE IS NOT GOING AWAY.

SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT DAVID CRUZ SAT DOWN WITH THE SENATOR TO TALK ABOUT HIS ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND HIS REGRETS.

AND WHAT IT WAS LIKE WORKING WITH TWO VERY DIFFERENT GOVERNORS.

>> IF YOU LOOK AT THE BODY OF WORK THAT WE HAVE DONE, MINIMUM WAGE, PAID FAMILY LEAVE.

PAY EQUITY.

AND REGIONAL GREENHOUSE GAS INITIATIVE.

THE OFFSHORE WIND.

THAT WAS OURS.

PENSION REFORM.

BENEFIT REFORM.

THE 2% CAP.

THAT IS WHAT I REGRET NOT TAKING THE ZERO.

WE DID 2 % AND THE GOVERNMENTS ARE LIVING UNDER 2%.

GOING TO ZERO WAS THE RIGHT THING TO DO.

I COULD NEVER GET THERE.

>> THAT WAS DURING THE CHRISTIE AREA.

WHAT WAS IT LIKE DEALING WITH CHRIS CHRISTIE?

THIS IS A MAN OF NO SMALL EGO.

AND YOU ALMOST PAID A LOT FOR THAT RELATIONSHIP.

>> I TELL PEOPLE ALL OF THE TIME, I HAVE NEVER BASED MY FRIENDS ON WHETHER THEY ARE REPUBLICAN OR DEMOCRAT.

CHRISTIE WAS GREAT TO WORK WITH.

AND WAS EVEN MORE FUN TO FIGHT WITH.

AND WE HAD SOME LEGENDARY BATTLES.

THERE WAS A TIME WHEN THE HE SAID HE WANTED TO PUNCH ME IN THE HEAD.

I CALLED HIM A LOT OF BAD NIGHT NEW NAMES.

IT WAS I THOUGHT YOU COULD NOT PRINT THOSE WORDS AND THAT IS WHY I SAID THOSE WORDS.

AND I FOUND OUT YOU CAN PRINT THOSE WORDS.

THEY ONLY HAD TO TAKE ONE WORD OUT THAT BEGAN WITH THE LETTER F. AND I MEANT IT THEN.

I REALLY DID MEAN IT THEN.

I WAS SO ANGRY BECAUSE IT IS A COMMUNITY THAT I CARE ABOUT.

>> BUT YOU THOUGHT THERE WAS A PLUS WORKING WITH HIM?

>> HOW MANY GOVERNORS TRIED TO DO THAT?

WE DID IT.

RUTGERS WENT FROM $216 MILLION OF RESEARCH DOLLARS TO OVER 800 MILLION.

RUTGERS IS A JUGGERNAUT.

IT IS OUR STATE UNIVERSITY.

I CANNOT TELL YOU HOW PROUD I AM OF THAT KIND OF STUFF.

>> ON THE OTHER SIDE OF GOVERNORS THAT YOU DEALT WITH, WE IN THE MEDIA MADE A LOT ABOUT YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH MURPHY, THE CURRENT GOVERNOR.

DON'T TELL ME THAT YOU ALWAYS GOT ALONG.

>> NO.

>> HOW WAS THAT RELATIONSHIP COMPARED TO CHRIS CHRISTIE AND THE RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRIS CHRISTIE, IF YOU COULD?

>> LISTEN, IN THE BEGINNING, WITH CHRIS CHRISTIE, WE HAD HONEST DISAGREEMENTS.

WE NEVER MADE THEM PERSONAL.

THE FIRST TWO YEARS WITH GOVERNOR MURPHY, I WAS THE MOST VETOED LEGISLATOR IN THE STATE.

ON THOSE THAT WERE UNANIMOUS.

YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?

BY THE WAY, I AM THE SENATE PRESIDENT.

I AM NOT SUPPOSED TO BE THE MOST VETOED SENATOR IN THE STATE.

WE GOT BEYOND THAT.

WE GOT BEYOND THAT AND I AGREE WITH WHAT GOVERNOR MURPHY SAID.

WE GOT A LOT DONE.

AND, WAS IT WARM AND FUZZY?

NO.

BUT, WE GOT TO A POINT WHERE WE RESPECTED EACH OTHER AND WE GOT THINGS DONE.

I AM PROUD OF WHAT WE GOT DONE.

TRUCK YOU CAN CATCH THE FULL INTERVIEW WITH DAVID CRUZ AND STEVE SWEENEY ON CHAT BOX, SATURDAY AT 6:30 PM AND SUNDAY AT 10:30 AM ON NJ PBS.

>>> JOE BIDEN IS PLEADING WITH BUSINESSES AFTER HIS VACCINE MANDATE IS DEALT A MAJOR BLOW.

RHONDA SCHAFFLER HAS THE DETAILS AND ALL OF THE OTHER TOP BUSINESS HEADLINES.

>> Reporter: RAVEN, PRESIDENT BIDEN IS ASKING BUSINESSES TO REQUIRE THAT THEIR WORKERS GET VACCINATED.

EVEN AS THE U.S. SUPREME COURT STEPPED DOWN THE MANDATE FOR LARGER COMPANIES.

FOLLOWING THE COURT RULING YESTERDAY, PRESIDENT BIDEN COULD HAVE A STATEMENT CALLING ON BUSINESS LEADERS TO JOIN THOSE THAT HAVE ALREADY STEPPED UP, INCLUDING ONE THIRD OF FORTUNE 100 COMPANIES.

AND INSTITUTE VACCINATION REQUIREMENTS TO PROTECT WORKERS, CUSTOMERS AND COMMUNITIES.

SEVERAL BUSINESS GROUPS SUPPORTED THE DECISION OF THE COURT, INCLUDING THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF INDEPENDENT BUSINESS, WHICH CALLED IT WELCOME RELIEF FOR SMALL BUSINESSES.

THE SUPREME COURT COULD PUT A HALT TO THE WORKPLACE COVID-19 VACCINATION MANDATE, THEY ARE ALLOWING THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE MANDATE FOR THE MOST HEALTHCARE WORKERS VACCINATED.

>>> NEW JERSEY RESIDENTS PAID RECORD HIGH PROPERTY TAXES LAST YEAR.

THE AVERAGE BILL WAS $9284.

THAT IS ACCORDING TO THE GOVERNORS OFFICE.

PROPERTY TAXES INCREASED LESS THAN 2% YET LAST YEAR BUT IT IS STILL THE SECOND YEAR IN A ROW THAT PROPERTY TAXES EXCEEDED $9000.

GOVERNOR MURPHY TALKED ABOUT TAXES IN HIS STATE OF THE STATE ADDRESS, SAYING THE RATE OF PROPERTY TAX INCREASES SLOWED WHILE HE HAS BEEN IN OFFICE.

>>> THE NONPROFIT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GROUP CHOOSE NEW JERSEY WILL HAVE A NEW LEADER AT THE HOME.

WESLEY MATTHEWS WAS RECENTLY NAMED THE INCOMING PRESIDENT AND CEO.

HE IS A FOREIGN SERVICE DIPLOMAT AND BELIEVES HIS BACKGROUND WILL BE AN ASSET.

AS HE SEEKS TO ATTRACT INTERNATIONAL COMPANIES TO NEW JERSEY.

>> I WANT TO DOUBLE DOWN ON INITIATIVES THAT WORKED OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS.

SUCH AS OUR FOCUS ON SPECIFIC INTERNATIONAL MARKETS.

WERE MARKET INTELLIGENCE AND DATA HAVE SHOWN THE POTENTIAL FOR THE LARGEST RETURN ON INVESTMENT.

>> Reporter: MATTHEWS TAKES OVER AS CEO NEXT MONTH.

>>> HERE IS A LOOK NOW AT HOW THE STOCK MARKET LOOKS TODAY.

I AM RHONDA SCHAFFLER.

THOSE ARE YOUR TOP BUSINESS STORIES.

>>> MAKE SURE YOU TURN IN TO NJ BUSINESS BEAT WITH RHONDA SCHAFFLER.

THIS WEEKEND SHE FOCUSES ON YOUR PERSONAL FINANCE AND GROWING YOUR SAVINGS TO MANAGING DEBT AND PLANNING FOR RETIREMENT.

WATCH IT ON NJ PBS SATURDAYS AT 9 PM AND SUNDAYS AT 9:30 AM.

>>> FEW BIRDS CAPTURE PUBLIC IMAGINATION LIKE THE BALD EAGLE.

THEY WERE ONCE ON THE BRINK OF EXTINCTION.

JUST ONE NESTING PAIR LEFT IN NEW JERSEY AS RECENTLY AS THE 1980S.

TO PUSH TO SAVE THE EAGLES IN RECENT DECADES HAS SEEN IMMENSE SUCCESS.

LAST YEAR, FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER, BALD EAGLE NESTS WERE FOUND IN EACH OF NEW JERSEY'S 21 COUNTIES.

A NEW REPORT BY STATE SCIENTISTS FOUND THAT 222 ACTIVE BALD EAGLE NESTS WERE FOUND IN THE STATE IN 2021.

MORE THAN HALF OF THOSE NESTS WERE IN SOUTH JERSEY NEAR THE DELAWARE BAY.

AROUND THE STATE, EVILNESS TEND TO BE FOUND NEAR WATER.

KATHLEEN CLARK, A BIOLOGIST WITH THE NEW JERSEY DIVISION OF FISH AND WILDLIFE, WHO LEADS THE STATES BALD EAGLE STUDIES, SAT DOWN WITH ME TO DISCUSS THE REMARKABLE COMEBACK.

TRUCK KATHY, BALD EAGLES IN NEW JERSEY HAD ALMOST COMPLETELY DISAPPEARED.

WHAT CAUSED POPULATION TO PLUMMET?

>> INITIALLY IT WAS THE RESULT OF DDT THAT WAS USED IN THE 40s.

THAT WAS A CHEMICAL THAT ACCUMULATES IN BIRDS AT THE HIGHEST PART OF THE FIELD FOOD CHAIN.

SO BALD EAGLES AND RAPTORS WERE IMPACTED BY DDT THAT CAUSED THEIR FOOD SOURCES AND NOT OF THE EGGS HATCHED.

>> Reporter: SO WHAT DO YOU ATTRIBUTE THE RECOVERY TO?

>> DDT WAS BANNED IN 1972.

IT IS A LONG LIFE CHEMICAL SO WE STILL FIND IT IN THE ENVIRONMENT, UNFORTUNATELY, BUT IT IS AT LOWER LEVELS.

THAT IS DEFINITELY A BIG PART OF IT.

IN ADDITION, THE 70s AND 80s, THERE WAS A LOT MORE ATTENTION TO WATER QUALITY AND WATER QUALITY IN GENERAL.

THEREFORE FISH AND DUCK POPULATIONS HAVE IMPROVED.

AND THEN, OF COURSE, MOST OF THE EASTERN STATES RAN A RECOVERY PROGRAM TARGETED AT BALD EAGLES.

IN NEW JERSEY, THERE WAS ABOUT A 10 YEAR SPAN WHERE WE RELEASED EAGLES, YOUNG EAGLES THAT WE GOT FROM CANDIDA WHERE THEY WERE NOT ENDANGERED.

WE HAD A SINGLE NEST THROUGHOUT THE 70s AND 80s.

WE MANAGED THAT NEST SO THAT IT WAS PRODUCTIVE.

AND SO, MANAGING ONE NEST IS GOING TO HAVE A SLOW IMPACT ON THE STATEWIDE POPULATION.

BUT RELEASING YOUNG BIRDS IN A WAY THAT BROUGHT THEM INTO THE POPULATION IMMEDIATELY, THAT REALLY SPURRED THE POPULATION IN NEW JERSEY.

>> Reporter: HOW MUCH HAS THE POPULATION INCREASED IN RECENT YEARS?

>> THE POPULATION HAS STEADILY INCREASED.

WE GOT THE SECOND NEST IN 1999.

IN THOSE EARLY YEARS IT WAS SLOW-GROWING.

BUT THEN, WE WENT THROUGH A GROWTH SPURT WHERE THE BIRTHRATE WAS INCREASING -- BASICALLY -- THE POPULATION IN NEW JERSEY WAS DOUBLING EVERY FIVE YEARS.

AND THAT IS A CRAZY RATE INCREASE FOR THAT SPECIES.

THAT RATE OF INCREASE HAS SLOWED IN RECENT YEARS.

BUT, WE DON'T THINK THAT WE ARE TOPPED OUT YET.

AT ABOUT 222 PAIRS LAST YEAR.

>> Reporter: GLAD WE HAVE GOOD NEWS WITH THE BALD EAGLES.

ONCE AGAIN, KATHY, HUGO, FOR JOINING US.

>>> THAT DOES IT FOR US TONIGHT.

YOU CAN CATCH UP ON THE WEEK'S TOP POLITICAL HEADLINES THIS WEEKEND ON REPORTERS ROUNDTABLE WITH SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT DAVID CRUZ.

WATCH IT ON NJ PBS SATURDAYS AT 6:00 P.M. AND SUNDAYS AT 10:00 A.M.

I AM RAVEN SANTANA.

THANK YOU, FOR JOINING US TONIGHT.

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND.

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AND SMART HEAT NJ.