>>> FUNDING FOR NJ SPOTLIGHT NEWS PROVIDED BY MEMBERS OF THE NEW JERSEY EDUCATION ASSOCIATION, MAKING PUBLIC SCHOOLS GREAT FOR EVERY CHILD , RWJBARNABAS HEALTH, LET'S BE HEALTHY TOGETHER, AND ORSTED, COMMITTED FOR A LONG-TERM , SUSTAINABLE, CLEAN ENERGY FUTURE FOR NEW JERSEY.

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

>>> GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO NJ SPOTLIGHT NEWS .

I AM RHONDA SCHAFFLER IN FOR BRIANA VANNOZZI.

>>> CHILDREN, TEENAGERS, AND ADULTS LOOKING FOR PLACES TO SLEEP FOR A NIGHT OR TO GET A MEAL OFTEN UNNOTICED BY THOSE PASSING BY.

NOT THIS WEEK.

EACH OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS IS BEING SOUGHT OUT BY VOLUNTEERS, ADVOCATES, AND LOCAL OFFICIALS WHO ARE CONDUCTING THE COUNT OF HOMELESS PEOPLE, KNOWN AS NJ COUNTS.

THIS SURVEY IS COORDINATED EVERY YEAR BY MONARCH HOUSING ASSOCIATES AND IS COMMISSIONED BY THE NEW JERSEY HOUSING AND MORTGAGE FINANCE AGENCY.

THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE IDENTIFIED AS HOMELESS WILL DETERMINE HOW MUCH FEDERAL FUNDING THE STATE AND COUNTIES RECEIVE IN ORDER TO PROVIDE MUCH-NEEDED ASSISTANCE.

AS THE COUNT IS UNDERWAY, ESSEX COUNTY IS HOLDING ITS ANNUAL PROJECT HOMELESS CONNECT WHICH SEEKS TO GET PEOPLE OFF THE STREETS AND PROVIDE THEM WITH NECESSITIES LIKE FOOD, CLOTHING, AND MEDICINE .

WE HAVE TWO REPORTS TONIGHT ON NJ COUNTS.

TED GOLDBERG TRAVEL TO SALEM COUNTY, THE FEWEST NUMBER OF PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS LAST YEAR.

BUT WE BEGIN WITH POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT DAVID CRUZ IN ESSEX COUNTY, WHO HAD THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS LAST YEAR.

>> Reporter: BOOM TIMES IN MANY WAYS.

THE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT CONTINUES AT A RECORD PACE HERE, BUT ALONG WITH THAT SUCCESS COMES THE CONSEQUENCE .

RESIDENTS GOING FROM A PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK EXISTENCE TO HOMELESSNESS.

>> I AM ON THE STREET BECAUSE I CAN'T COME UP AND I CAN'T AFFORD IT NO MORE.

I WORK, BUT I MEAN I CAN ONLY SAVE $1000 FOR A BEDROOM AND NOW IT IS $1400 .

YOU KNOW, I'VE GOT TO MOVE AND I CAN'T COME UP WITH THE SECURITY MONEY.

I MEAN, I CAN PAY THE RENT BUT WHO CAN COME UP WITH $3000 SECURITY MONEY?

>> Reporter: IS GRABBING UP WHAT HE CAN AT THE PROJECT HOMELESS CONNECT , A COUNTY EFFORT IN CONNECTION TO THE ANNUAL NJ COUNTS CENSUS FOR THOSE FACING HOUSING CRISES.

HERE IN ESSEX COUNTY, SERVICE PROVIDERS ARE HOOKING UP WITH PEOPLE IN CRISIS .

SOME ON THE STREET ALREADY.

OTHERS HEADED THAT WAY .

VOLUNTEERS SIGNED PEOPLE UP FOR COUNTY SERVICES AND POINT THEM TO EMERGENCY HELP .

THEY PROVIDE BASICS LIKE CLOTHES, TOILETRIES, FOOD , COVID SHOTS, AND IN THE HOURS BEFORE A WINTER STORM , FOOD.

TERRENCE McCOY IS DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY ACTION FOR THE EVENT.

>> IT STARTS TODAY AND WE WILL BE OUT TONIGHT GOING AROUND TO DO A COUNT AND TO SEE WHERE HOMELESS PEOPLE ARE RESIDING AT TO TRY TO GET THEM SERVICES AND GET THEM OFF THE STREETS.

>> THE NUMBERS ARE BETWEEN 1800 AND 2000.

WE HAVE BEEN DOING THIS SINCE THE MIDDLE OF JANUARY AS FAR AS GETTING AN OFFICIAL COUNT .

IT IS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT WHEN IT COMES TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND TO BE ABLE TO GET THE DOLLARS NECESSARY TO PROVIDE SERVICES.

>> Reporter: YES, THE NUMBERS MATTER BUT EVEN AS THE VOLUNTEERS COUNT TODAY, A RECESSION LOOMS AND THAT INCREASES THE NUMBERS QUICKLY.

>> WE HAVE PEOPLE DOUBLING UP BECAUSE THEY CANNOT AFFORD THE COST OF LIVING HERE IN ESSEX COUNTY .

WE SAW IN THE NEWS THE LAST FEW WEEKS A LOT OF COMPANIES ARE DOWNSIZING.

WE DEFINITELY BELIEVE THAT WILL TRANSLATE INTO HIGHER UNEMPLOYMENT RATES AND PEOPLE MAY BE INELIGIBLE FOR WELFARE BENEFITS AND UNFORTUNATELY MAY HAVE A HOUSING CRISIS SITUATION.

>> EVERYONE WHO IS HOMELESS ARE NOT ALL ON DRUGS OR CRIMINALS .

YOU KNOW, WITH COVID HITTING US, THAT REALLY TOOK A TOLL.

>> HOPEFULLY WE WILL GET SOME HELP HERE.

>> I NEED IT .

IF I DON'T, I WILL BE ON THE STREET IN A COUPLE OF DAYS.

>> Reporter: YOU HAVE TO COUNT EVERY PERSON BECAUSE EVERY PERSON COUNTS EVERYWHERE THEY ARE IN NEW JERSEY.

DAVID CRUZ, NJ SPOTLIGHT NEWS.

>>> I AM TED GOLDBERG IN SALEM COUNTY.

WE SAW VOLUNTEERS WORKING FROM 4:00 IN THE MORNING TO TALLY HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.

>> I WAS MENTALLY PREPARING MYSELF AND PHYSICALLY PREPARING MYSELF.

MY FIRST THOUGHT WAS, I'M FREEZING.

I NEED MY GLOVES AND MY HAT .

THING THAT TO MYSELF MADE ME REFLECT ON WHY I AM DOING THIS.

>> Reporter: VOLUNTEERS BRAVED THE COLD TO DRIVE OUT AND GET AN ACCURATE COUNT AND LEARN ABOUT THE DIFFERENT FACTORS DRIVING HOMELESSNESS.

>> WE CAN FIND OUT WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT ISSUES TO LEARN THE PEOPLE, LEARN THE COUNTY.

>> TYPICALLY I WORK WITH OLDER AMERICANS IN OUR DISABLED COMMUNITY , SO IT TIES IN A LITTLE BIT WITH KIND OF THE POPULATION OF WHO I WORK WITH.

BUT WHY I AM INTERESTING IN WORKING WITH THE PIT COUNT, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT THE FACTORS THAT COME WITH HOUSING ISSUES AND WHY SOMEONE MAY BE HOMELESS.

>> Reporter: VOLUNTEERS ARE COUNTING THE NUMBER OF HOMELESS PEOPLE IN SHELTERS AND THOSE THAT ARE ON SHELTERED LIVING IN PLACES LIKE THE WOODS, CARS, OR ABANDONED HOMES .

VOLUNTEERS TELL ME PROVIDES AN ACCURATE PICTURE OF HOW MANY HOMELESS PEOPLE LIVE IN THE COUNTY AND HOW THEY BECAME HOMELESS IN THE FIRST PLACE.

>> THERE IS A BIG CONVERSATION AROUND HOMELESSNESS, SUBSTANCE ABUSE, YOU KNOW, THE NEGATIVE IMPACTS OF HOMELESSNESS AND TODAY I HAVE REALIZED A LOT OF THE REASONS FOR PEOPLE BEING HOMELESS DOESN'T HAVE TO DO WITH THOSE THINGS.

IT HAS TO DO WITH THEIR CARDS WERE NOT SET RIGHT AND UNFORTUNATELY THEY WERE PUT IN SITUATIONS THEY COULDN'T OVERCOME .

>> INJURY, A BREAKUP OF THE HOUSEHOLD, RISING RENT , JUST INELIGIBILITY FOR ASSISTANCE .

THOSE ARE THE REASONS WE HAVE COME ACROSS SO FAR SPECIFICALLY.

>> Reporter: CHRISTINA CHILLUM LEADS IN OUTREACH TEAM IN SALEM COUNTY, DRIVING BY AREAS WHERE HOMELESS PEOPLE ARE KNOWN TO BE AND OFFERING THEM HELP.

>> WE ENCOURAGE THEM TO GO GET WARM OR GET HOT SOUP .

YOU CAN TALK TO A SPECIALIST WHO WILL LISTEN TO YOUR STORY AND PROVIDE YOU INFORMATION.

>> Reporter: LAST YEAR SALEM COUNTY RECORDED 20 HOMELESS PEOPLE IN SHELTERS, THE LOWEST FIGURE FOR ANY COUNTY IN NEW JERSEY.

THAT MAKES IT HARDER TO GET FEDERAL FUNDS FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT.

THE COORDINATOR SAYS IT IS TOUGHER TO GET A GOOD COUNT IN NEW JERSEY'S ORAL COUNTIES.

>> HOMELESS PEOPLE ARE TRANSIENT AND IT LOOKS DIFFERENT EVERYWHERE .

RIGHT NOW, WE ARE IN SALEM COUNTY .

YOU DON'T SEE PEOPLE SITTING ON THE STREET LIKE NEWARK OR HUDSON COUNTY, BUT YOU WILL SEE PEOPLE IN RUNDOWN HOUSES , YOU KNOW, THAT ARE ABANDONED .

YOU WILL SEE ENCAMPMENTS IN THE WOODS.

>> Reporter: SALEM COUNTY COULD USE EVERY FEDERAL DOLLAR IT CAN GET .

>> THE INFRASTRUCTURE OF OUR COUNTY IS A VERY SCARCE.

AS FAR AS WHERE WE COULD SET UP WARMING CENTERS, WHERE WE CAN HAVE COLD BLUE SHELTERS, WHERE WE COULD HAVE AN EMERGENCY SHELTER, WE DON'T HAVE THESE THINGS.

>> Reporter: IT IS A DOUBLE EDGED SWORD .

WHILE THEY ARE NOT HOPING FOR A HIGH HOMELESS COUNT, IT WOULD MEAN MORE FEDERAL FUNDS AND RESOURCES FOR NEW JERSEY'S LEAST POPULOUS COUNTIES.

IN SALEM COUNTY, I AM TED GOLDBERG, NJ SPOTLIGHT NEWS.

>>> THE MAKEUP OF TRENTON CITY COUNCIL IS FINALLY SETTLED.

THE UNOFFICIAL RESULTS ARE IN FROM THE AT-LARGE RUNOFF ELECTION AND THEY ARE SIMILAR TO LAST NOVEMBER'S ELECTION BUT THE TURNOUT WAS LIGHTER.

THE TOP VOTE GETTERS, GONZALEZ .

THOSE CANDIDATES ALSO RECEIVED THE MOST VOTES IN THE FALL ELECTION.

BALANCE WILL BE CERTIFIED IN THE COMING WEEKS AND WILL CONFIRMED THE WINNERS IN THE SOUTH WARD, JENNIFER WILLIAMS IN THE NORTH, THE WEST WARD, AND COUNCILMAN HARRISON , THE ONLY INCUMBENT NOW ON THE CITY COUNCIL.

THE TRENTON MAYOR WHO OFTEN FOUND HIMSELF AT LOGGERHEADS WITH PAST COUNCILMEMBERS CAN GRADUATED THE NEW SLATE, SAYING THEY WILL BE INCREDIBLE ADVOCATES .

>>> THE MURPHY ADMINISTRATION'S EFFORT TO REDUCE GREENHOUSE GASES WILL RESULT IN GREENER NEIGHBORHOODS .

THE STATE IS AWARDING MILLIONS IN GRANTS TO LOCAL COMMUNITIES TO PLANT MORE TREES .

BEYOND BEAUTIFYING NEIGHBORHOODS, THE TREES WILL HELP CREATE CLEANER AIR AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS ESPECIALLY HELPFUL IN OUR URBAN AREAS.

MELISSA ROSE COOPER REPORTS.

>> NEW JERSEY WILL ONLY AVOID THE WORST EFFECTS OF OUR CLIMATE EXPERIENCE IF WE BOTH WORK TIRELESSLY TO REDUCE THE EMISSIONS OF CLIMATE POLLUTANTS AND WE OURSELVES OFF FOSSIL FUELS , BUT ALSO BY INVESTING IN NATURAL SOLUTIONS THAT SEQUESTER THE VERY THAT IS WORSENING THAT CLIMATE EXPERIENCE EVERYDAY.

>> Reporter: AS PART OF THE STATE'S EFFORTS TO FIGHT CLIMATE CHANGE, THE MURPHY ADMINISTRATION IS AWARDING $24 MILLION IN GRANTS TO GOVERNMENTS ACROSS NEW JERSEY TO CREATE GREENER SPACES BY PLANTING MORE TREES AS WELL AS RESTORING FOREST AND SALT MARSHES.

>> OUR CALCULATIONS SHOW THAT BY 2050, THESE PROJECTS, ONCE MATURED, WILL SEQUESTER UP TO 3 MILLION POUNDS OF CARBON DIOXIDE AND INTERCEPT OVER 14 MILLION GALLONS OF STORMWATER THAT WE ARE GOING TO SEE FROM MORE FREQUENT AND DAMAGING STORMS THROUGHOUT THE STATE.

>> Reporter: THE FUNDING AS PART OF THE GRANT PROGRAM AIMED AT HELPING THE STATE REACH ITS GOAL OF AN 80% REDUCTION IN GREENHOUSE GASES BY 2050.

ENVIRONMENTALISTS SAY THE PROJECT WILL BE ESPECIALLY HELPFUL IN URBAN AREAS, LIKE TRENTON, WHERE THERE ARE A LACK OF TREES IN THE CITY.

>> OUR TECHNOLOGY IN BUILDING AND OUR DENSITY AND POPULATION HAS COME TO A POINT IN OUR CITIES IN THE U.S. AND COMING TO AN AGE WHERE THEIR PRE-EXISTING TREES, OR THE TREES THAT WERE ESTABLISHED BEFORE OUR MODERN DESIGN AND OUR MODERN TECHNOLOGY , AS THEY FADE OUT, WE ARE REPLACING WITH YOUNG TREES.

TREES ARE NOT A TECHNOLOGY.

THEY ARE ORGANISMS.

AS WE DISTURB THE GROUND THE TREES GROW IN, WE MAKE IT MORE AND MORE CHALLENGING FOR THESE ORGANISMS TO GROW.

>> Reporter: FUNDING WILL HELP PLACE 1000 TREES ALL OVER TRENTON OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS, MAKING SURE THERE IS A PIECE OF NEIGHBOR NATURE IN EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD.

>> THESE TREES WILL DO WONDERS FOR STREETS AND BOULEVARDS .

BOTTOM LINE IS IT DOES HELP FIGHT THE GLOBAL WARMING AND TO BRING BEAUTY BACK TO THE CAPITAL CITY.

>> Reporter: ANOTHER GOAL ENVIRONMENTALISTS ARE HOPING TO ACHIEVE, ENDING RACIAL AND ECONOMIC DISPARITIES THAT HAVE BEEN PLAGUING MANY URBAN NEIGHBORHOODS FOR YEARS.

>> IT IS NOT BY ACCIDENT OUR STATE'S BLACK, BROWN, AND LOW INCOME COMMUNITIES TEND TO BE THE COMMUNITIES THAT SUFFER THE MOST FROM AN OVERABUNDANCE OF POLLUTION LIKE INCINERATORS AND FOSSIL FUEL BURNING POWER PLANTS LOCATED WITHIN THEIR BACKYARDS.

STUDIES HAVE SHOWN IN SOME PLACES ACROSS THE COUNTRY, NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE LOWER INCOME AND HAVE MORE BLACK AND BROWN RESIDENTS CAN BE UP TO 20 DEGREES HOTTER IN THE SUMMER COMPARED TO WEALTHIER NEIGHBORHOODS WITH MORE GREEN SPACE.

YEARS OF DISINVESTMENT IN OUR OVERBURDENED COMMUNITIES MEANS THESE POPULATIONS ARE NOT ABLE TO ACCESS OR ENJOY ALL THE GARDEN STATE HAS TO OFFER.

>> Reporter: AND THE GRANT IS THE NEXT STEP TO ENDING THAT TREND WITH THE HOPES OF ESTABLISHING ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE THROUGHOUT THE GARDEN STATE.

FOR NJ SPOTLIGHT NEWS , I AM MELISSA ROSE COOPER.

>>> A ME THING ABOUT PROTECTING CHILDREN FROM LEAD EXPOSURE , WE THINK ABOUT THINGS LIKE LEAD-BASED PAINT OR LEAD WATER PIPES, BUT LEAD IS ALSO IN OUR FOOD, INCLUDING BABY FOOD .

NOW THE FDA IS PROPOSING GUIDELINES FOR THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF LEAD ALLOWED IN FRUITS, VEGETABLES, GRAINS , AND MEETS PACKAGED AS BABY FOOD.

IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO REMOVE ALL TRACES OF LEAD FROM FOOD PRODUCTS BECAUSE THE METAL IS IN THE ENVIRONMENT AND CAN BE ABSORBED BY PLANTS , BUT THE FDA SAYS ITS PROPOSED GUIDELINES COULD RESULT IN A 24 TO 27% REDUCTION IN EXPOSURE TO LEAD, WHICH IS FOUND TO CAUSE DEVELOPMENTAL ISSUES.

IN THE MEANTIME, THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION SAY THERE IS NO SAFE LEVEL OF LEAD FOR CHILDREN.

IN OUR SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS REPORTS TONIGHT, NEW JERSEY'S WAREHOUSE INDUSTRY HAS SEEN EXPLOSIVE GROWTH IN RECENT YEARS .

DEMAND IS SO STRONG, RENTS FOR INDUSTRIAL SPACE CONTINUE TO CLIMB.

BUT LOCAL COMMUNITIES ARE PUSHING BACK AGAINST SO-CALLED WAREHOUSE SPRAWL AND THAT COULD PUT THE BRAKES ON CONTINUED WAREHOUSE DEVELOPMENT.

FOR MORE, I AM JOINED BY OUR DIGITAL CONTRIBUTING WRITER.

LET'S TALK FIRST ABOUT DEMAND .

SET THE STAGE FOR ME, IF YOU WILL .

YOU LOOKED OVER A NEW REPORT ON INDUSTRIAL SPACE, SO WHAT WERE THE HIGHLIGHTS ?

>> WHAT WE HAVE BEEN HEARING FROM THE WAREHOUSE INDUSTRY FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS NOW, DEMAND HAS BEEN OUTSOURCING SUPPLY AND WE CONTINUE TO SEE THAT IN THE FOURTH QUARTER OF 2022, THAT DATA WE JUST HAD.

IT SHOWS THAT VACANCIES CONTINUE TO DECLINE COMPARED TO A YEAR EARLIER AND RENTS ROSE .

DEMAND IS STILL ROARING WAY OUT THERE, DESPITE CONCERNED ABOUT THE ECONOMY AND INFLATION.

>> JOHN, THAT REPORT NOTED CHALLENGES ARE POSSIBLE AND THAT HAS TO DO WITH LEGISLATION THAT HAS BEEN INTRODUCED IN NEW JERSEY.

BRING US UP TO SPEED ON HOW SOME OF THESE BILLS MIGHT CURB WAREHOUSE GROWTH.

>> ONE OF THE BILLS WAS INTRODUCED LAST MONTH BY A DEMOCRAT FROM A MERCER COUNTY.

IT WOULD REQUIRE A MUNICIPALITY TO COMPLY WITH GUIDELINES THAT WERE PUBLISHED LAST YEAR BY THE STATE PLANNING COMMISSION, GUIDELINES ON HOW MUNICIPALITIES SHOULD MANAGE WAREHOUSE APPLICATIONS.

AND SO, THAT BILL IS AN ATTEMPT TO CODIFY GUIDELINES FROM THE STATE.

ANOTHER BILL WOULD REQUIRE THE COUNTY TO DO AN ANALYSIS ON THE IMPACT OF A WAREHOUSE APPLICATION, IF IT WAS LARGER THAN 500,000 SQUARE FEET, WHICH MANY OF THEM ARE.

>> YOU HAVE REPORTED QUITE A BIT ON OBJECTIONS FROM LOCAL COMMUNITIES AROUND THE STATE .

ARE DEVELOPERS STILL ABLE TO GET PROJECTS THROUGH?

>> FOR THE MOST PART, THEY ARE, YES.

ONE REASON IS MUNICIPALITIES ARE VERY EAGER FOR THE ADDITIONAL TAX REVENUE THAT THOSE -- THAT THESE BIG WAREHOUSE DEVELOPMENTS , MILLIONS OF SQUARE FEET IN SOME CASES, WOULD BRING THEM .

THE OTHER BIG MOTIVATION IS THAT MUNICIPALITIES FEAR LAWSUITS THAT WILL , AND IN SOME CASES, HAVE BEEN BROUGHT BY DEVELOPERS , IF THEIR APPLICATIONS COMPLY WITH EXISTING ZONING.

AND SO, THE MANIFESTATION OF ALL OF THAT AND IN THE LATEST REPORT , IT SHOWED THAT NO FEWER THAN 9.1 MILLION SQUARE FEET OF WAREHOUSE SPACE IS CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION IN NEW JERSEY.

>> JOHN, HOW DOES NEW JERSEY STRIKE A BALANCE BETWEEN APPROVING THESE NEW WAREHOUSES WHILE PROTECTING QUALITY-OF-LIFE FOR THE STATES ' RESIDENTS?

>> IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO THE STATE'S ECONOMY .

ACCORDING TO ONE ESTIMATE, AROUND 12% OF NEW JERSEY 'S JOBS ARE BASED ON THE WAREHOUSING INDUSTRY AND ALLIED INDUSTRIES.

AND SO, THE ADVOCATES FOR THE WAREHOUSE INDUSTRY, THEY RECOGNIZE IT IS ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE , BUT THEY DON'T WANT THESE WAREHOUSES BEING BUILT IN RESIDENTIAL AREAS AND THEY DON'T WANT -- THEY DON'T WANT RESIDENTIAL AREAS BEING OVERWHELMED BY TRUCK TRAFFIC , WHICH CONSEQUENCES FOR AIR QUALITY THEY FEAR THESE DEVELOPMENTS WILL BRING .

THERE NEEDS TO BE A BALANCE BETWEEN THE TWO.

>> JOHN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING ME TODAY.

>> YOU ARE WELCOME.

>> TO READ MORE ON JOHN'S ARTICLE, VISIT NJTVNEWS.ORG.

>>> HERE IS SOMETHING YOU DON'T HEAR MUCH, YOUR BILLS ARE GOING DOWN.

THEY ARE LOWERING GAS BILLS FOR RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS STARTING NEXT WEEK ON FEBRUARY 1st.

THE COST FOR GAS WILL DROP 23% REFLECTING A DECLINE IN NATURAL GAS PRICES IN RECENT WEEKS.

THE AVERAGE CUSTOMER COULD SAVE 15 TO $30 ON THEIR MONTHLY BILL, DEPENDING ON HOW MUCH THEY USE.

THEY SAY THEY HAVE WORKED TO KEEP GAS PRICES LOW DESPITE MARKET FLUCTUATIONS.

BILLS FOR RESIDENTIAL GAS CUSTOMERS ARE 30% LOWER THAN WHERE THEY WERE IN 2008 .

>>> NEW JERSEY IS JOINING SEVEN OTHER STATES AND THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE IN FILING A LAWSUIT AGAINST GOOGLE.

THE SUIT ALLEGES THE SEARCH ENGINE USED ITS MARKET DOMINANCE TO UNFAIRLY RESTRICT COMPETITION IN THE DIGITAL ADVERTISING MARKETPLACE .

NEW JERSEY ATTORNEY GENERAL MATTHEW PLATT BEGINS SAYING BIG TECH COMPANIES LIKE GOOGLE HAVE GROWN LARGER BY STOMPING OUT COMPETITION IN THEIR INDUSTRY TO BUILD MONOPOLIES FROM SEARCHES TO ADVERTISING.

HE ADDED THE LAWSUIT MAKES CLEAR NO COMPANY IS TOO BIG OR POWERFUL TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR ACTIONS.

DIGITAL ADS ACCOUNT FOR 80% OF GOOGLE'S REVENUE .

IN RESPONSE TO THE SUIT, GOOGLE'S PARENT COMPANY SAID THE LITIGATION DOUBLES DOWN ON A FLAWED ARGUMENT THAT WOULD SLOW INNOVATION, RAISE ADVERTISING FEES AND MAKE IT HARDER FOR THOUSANDS OF SMALL BUSINESSES AND PUBLISHERS TO GROW.

>>> NOW HERE IS A CHECK AT HOW STOCK TRADING ENDED TODAY .

>>> TEACHERS HAVE LONG WORRIED ABOUT STUDENTS NOT DOING THEIR OWN WORK AND THANKS TO ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, IT IS EASIER THAN EVER.

SOME STUDENTS HAVE BEEN USING CHATGPT, A TECH BASED BOT , TO DO THEIR HOMEWORK FOR THEM.

NOW A PRINCETON STUDENT HAS BUILT AN APP TO DETERMINE WHETHER A PAPER HAS BEEN WRITTEN USING CHATGPT .

HIS APP , GPT ZERO , IS RECEIVING PRAISE FROM PROFESSORS AND TEACHERS.

EDWARD JOINED ME NOW TO TALK ABOUT HIS CREATION.

EDWARD, SO NICE TO SEE YOU.

>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME .

>> HOW DID YOU COME UP WITH YOUR APP?

HOW DID YOU CREATE IT ?

>> IT IS REALLY SIMPLE.

I THINK CHATGPT IS AN INCREDIBLE INNOVATION AND I'VE BEEN HEARING THE BUZZ ALL ACROSS CAMPUS AND EVERYONE TALKING ABOUT CHATGPT .

I THOUGHT IT WAS INCREDIBLE BUT AT THE SAME TIME, IT IS OPENING A PANDORA'S BOX AND WE CAN NEVER PUT IT BACK AND WE NEED TO BUILD A SAFEGUARD.

THAT WAS THE MOTIVATION FOR GPTZERO.

>> HOW DOES YOUR APP WORK?

HOW DOES IT USE AI?

>> YEAH.

IT IS BASED OFF RESEARCH I HAVE BEEN DOING THIS SEMESTER.

IN TERMS OF ONE OF THE INDICATORS WE LOOK FOR IS CREATIVITY.

BECAUSE HUMANS HAVE THE SUDDEN BURSTING CREATIVITY , VERSUS THESE MACHINES WERE PRETTY CONSTANT OVER TIME , AS WELL AS WE ARE LOOKING AT THESE FINGERPRINTS WHERE MACHINE MODELS RECOGNIZED ITSELF, SO A FEW OF THOSE FACTORS.

>> TELL US ABOUT THE RESPONSE TO YOUR APP .

HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE BEEN USING IT?

WHAT ARE YOU HEARING FROM PEOPLE AND PARTICULARLY EDUCATORS?

>> I PUT IT OUT INTO THE WORLD EXPECTING A FEW DOZEN PEOPLE TO TRY IT .

OVER 300,000 PEOPLE HAVE TRIED USING GPTZERO AND WE HAD A PRODUCT WAITLIST FOR A PRODUCT WE ARE BUILDING AND OVER 30,000 PEOPLE FROM OVER 40 STATES IN 30 COUNTRIES HAVE SIGNED UP FOR THAT.

YEAH, I HAVE BEEN HEARING FROM EDUCATORS IN NEW JERSEY, IN THE STATES, AND AROUND THE WORLD ACTUALLY.

>> YOU WOUND UP CREATING BUSINESS HERE.

>> WE ARE PRETTY CREATED COMMITTED TO IMPROVING THE MODEL AND KEEPING THAT FREE FOR TEACHERS PRETTY MUCH FOREVER , SO I JUST WANTED TO COME UP WITH A TOOL EVERYONE CAN ACCESS.

>> I KNOW YOU ARE WORKING HARD AT THIS, BUT WHAT DO YOU PLAN TO DO ONCE YOU GRADUATE FROM PRINCETON?

>> IMMEDIATELY TOMORROW, I AM FLYING BACK TO PRINCETON .

I START CLASSES ON MONDAY.

I AM TRYING TO SIGN UP FOR ADVANCED CLASSES RIGHT NOW.

AFTERWARDS I KNOW I WANT TO WORK BETWEEN COMPUTER SCIENCE AND JOURNALISM .

IT IS A REALLY EXCITING PLACE TO BE.

>> IT'S INTERESTING .

I GUESS WHEN WE THINK ABOUT AI AND THE FUTURE, IT IS INVOLVING SO FAST .

IT IS REALLY HARD TO STAY ON TOP OF IT .

>> OH, YEAH.

NO KIDDING.

FOR A LOT OF US, THIS CHATGPT TECHNOLOGY FIELD SUDDENLY THRUST UPON US .

EVEN TEACHERS ARE FIGURING OUT HOW TO HANDLE IT.

>> I AM INTRIGUED TO HEAR THE INTERSECTION BETWEEN ENGINEERING AND A JOURNALISM IS A UNIQUE ONE, SO I'M CURIOUS TO SEE WHAT YOU WILL CREATE NEXT.

>> THANK YOU, RHONDA.

CHATGPT CANNOT FACTOR CHECK OR COME UP WITH THESE NEWS STORIES.

>> WE WILL NOT ARGUE THAT AT ALL.

EDWARD, THANK YOU FOR SPENDING TIME WITH ME.

THAT DOES IT FOR US TONIGHT BUT DON'T MISS THIS WEEK'S EPISODE OF CHATTERBOX WITH CORRESPONDENT DAVID CRUZ.

DAVID DIGS INTO THE HIGH COST OF EDUCATION AND TALKS WITH THE INTERIM PRESIDENT ABOUT THE SCHOOL'S PLAN TO ADDRESS THE FINANCIAL CRISIS AND WHAT IT COULD MEAN FOR STUDENTS AND STAFF .

THAT IS TOMORROW NIGHT AT 6:30 P.M. ON THE NJ SPOTLIGHT NEWS YOUTUBE CHANNEL OR WHEREVER YOU STREAM.

I AM RHONDA SCHAFFLER AND FROM THE ENTIRE BRENDA FLANAGAN, THANKS FOR BEING WITH US .

WE WILL SEE YOU BACK HERE TOMORROW.

>>> NJM INSURANCE, SERVING THE INSURANCE NEEDS OF RESIDENCES AND BUSINESSES FOR MORE THAN 100 YEARS.

NEW JERSEY REALTORS , THE VOICE FOR REAL ESTATE IN NEW JERSEY.

MORE INFORMATION IS ONLINE.

AND BY THE PSEG FOUNDATION.

>>> FOR MORE THAN 100 YEARS, NEW JERSEY REALTORS HAVE BEEN HELPING CLIENTS ACHIEVE THEIR DREAMS .

THEY LIVE AND WORK IN CITIES, SUBURBAN NEIGHBORHOODS, AND CITIES JUST LIKE HERE .

NO MATTER WHAT YOUR UNIQUE NEEDS ARE, THERE IS A NEW JERSEY REALTOR FOR YOU.

FIND YOUR REALTOR TODAY .