Announcer: Major funding for "NJ Spotlight news" is provided in part by NJM insurance group serving the insurance needs of , residents and businesses for more than 100 years.

Briana: tonight on "NJ Spotlight News," an imam in Newark shot and killed.

The shooter still a large, and police are not calling it I hate crime get some in the Islamic community disagree.

>> it feels disingenuous for authorities to jump to the conclusion that there is no biased motivation.

Briana: The Murphy administration is touting historic lows in violent crime in the state.

>> These organizations have helped mediate disputes so they don't spill over into violence.

Briana: Plus, calls for safer staffing after months of labor strikes and negotiations.

Trenton is finally listening.

>> It would take a concept that nurses or at least many nurses in labor feel is extremely important to patient safety and codify it in the law, and it involves specific ratios for each different unit of the hospital.

Briana: And backing breweries and booze.

On the final days of this legislative session, a last ditch effort at the Galatians reform.

>> I expect it be on the floor Monday and I am optimistic that the governor will sign it after that.

Briana: "NJ Spotlight News" begins right now.

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

Briana: Good evening, and thanks for joining us on this Thursday night.

I am Briana Vannozzi.

The shooting death of a Muslim leader in a new work is a sending shockwaves through the community, a day after imam Hassan Sharif was fatally shot outside a mosque in the city, his killer remains at large, and his family is searching for answers.

Authorities say they found the imam lying in the parking lot just after predawn prayer with multiple gunshot wounds about 10 feet from the mosque entrance on the corner of South Orange Avenue and Camden Street.

Investigators are pouring through security footage and city-owned street cameras to get an idea on the shooter, but so far they say the evidence doesn't indicate the act was motivated by bias or domestic terrorism.

Members of the mosque and other Muslims in the community are taking issue with that assessment at a time when most were already on high alert.

Ted Goldberg has the latest.

>> Is a deep loss for both Newark as a whole, the black Muslim community, the Muslim community as a whole.

It is jarring, worrying, horrifying, and the community is in a deep pain and deep grief and mourning.

Ted: Muslims in Newark are continuing to pray one day after their imam Hassan Sharif was shot and killed just outside the house of worship.

>> imam Hassan Sharif was a community leader, a father, a husband.

>> The impact on the community of this sort of particularly dastardly crime cannot be overstated.

Ted: the arrest has amplified fear around religious institutions, despite a vigil last night bringing hundreds of mourners to Newark.

>> Religious institutions have been on edge for quite some time.

We along with our partners have been aggressively patrolling the area, along with Newark and everyone else.

Every police institution.

Our bomb squad have been very busy of late, and we will continue to make sure we provide safety for all of our religious institutions.

Ted: The Attorney General ruled out the possibility of hate crime or domestic terrorism.

>> While we would ordinarily not go public with this type of information so early in our process, we know and I know that in light of global events, and with a rise in bias directed at many communities who are experiencing across our state, but particularly the Muslim community, there are many in New Jersey right now who are feeling a heightened sense of fear or anxiety.

>> CAIR New Jersey communications manager says it is too soon to rule that out.

>> It feels disingenuous for authorities to jump to the conclusion that there is no bias to motivation, because it is over 25 hours since the shooting and there is no suspect in custody.

It is hard to say what the motive is when there is nothing that authorities have given us.

>> Whether it is or it isn't, it is an opportunity for us to condemn hate crimes of any kind, whether it is Islamophobia, antisemitism, or any other hate crimes that have exploded of late.

Ted: Sayed also says she is upset is speculation around the imam's death.

>> Within hours we have been seeing headlines saying that there is no biased motivation, and others saying it is another day of violence in Newark, which is very dismissive.

We are calling on authorities to do their due diligence and to investigate this incident thoroughly and to ensure that the imam and his community do receive justice.

Ted: leaders essay New Jersey's houses of worship will continue to see more police, as they have since the Israel-Hamas war started in October.

There is a reward for anyone giving information related to closing this case.

Essex County Crime Stoppers is offering $25,000 for info leading to interest, while CAIR New Jersey has put up $10,000 for info leading to an arrest and conviction.

Ted Goldberg, "NJ Spotlight News ."

Briana: Hassan Sharif's tragic death comes as state leaders announce a milestone in public safety, unveiling data showing an historic low in gun violence for 2023 across New Jersey, with the fewest shooting victims recorded since the state began tracking it 15 years ago.

According to state police statistics, 924 individuals were shot in New Jersey last year, down 13% from the year prior, and the first time the number of shooting victims is under 1000 since 2009.

Homicides also declined, down 8% over the previous year.

Governor Murphy, Attorney General Plotkin, and police Colonel pointed to data showing shooting victims declined in New Jersey's largest cities including Trenton, Newark, and Patterson, where the Attorney General's office took control of the Police Department last March.

Officials touted community violence intervention programs and reduction task forces for the progress.

Gov.

Murphy:these community--based organizations have helped mediate disputes so they don't spill over into violence, and they have provided thoughtful, compassionate support to survivors of gun violence.

And in doing so, they have proven that a community-oriented strategy is the most effective way to address the roots of gun violence and make our cities safer for everyone.

Briana: During that same press conference today, the governor offered an update on the migrant crisis.

As of 8:00 a.m., 26 buses carrying roughly 1200 migrants from Texas arrived or pass-through locations in New Jersey just since this weekend.

Governor Murphy says most have continued on to New York City, but believes a few dozen have been picked up by family members in a New Jersey, stopping off at train stations in Edison, Trenton, Secaucus, and elsewhere, all in an effort to circumvent the New York order restricting their arrivals.

The administration is in communication with officials in New York, and Governor Murphy is calling on Congress to take action on immigration reform.

Representative Bonnie Watson Coleman earlier today sent a letter to Murphy's office signed by several of her Democratic colleagues pledging to work together on a solution, but also requesting information about whether the governor knew ahead of time that migrants would be coming through the state.

The lame-duck legislative session is coming to a close, and that means lawmakers have little time to button up final bills and other proposals they want to before it is over.

The roughly two-month-long period following November's general election has been chaotic in Trenton come with dozens of measures introduced and committees moving at a breakneck pace to approve them.

As senior political correspondent David Cruz reports, it is a time when transparency tends to take a backseat to expediency.

David: You might think a legislative session that began almost a year ago would've had its ducks in a row enough to finish cleanly.

But, you know, it's New Jersey, and if there is a last-minute left on the clock, lawmakers will take it.

So, bills on affordable housing reform, changes to liquor license laws, and yes, salary increases, a.k.a.

the complicated ones, are being rushed into or pulled from the agenda.

>> Reviewing the comments on the revised liquor license reforms, and it appears at first glance that I am happy with them.

I just wish I had the comments yesterday or maybe the day before so I could have reviewed them.

David: Republicans were forced to sit around and wait for the majority party to hammer out details on bills which need to get committee reviews before they can get a vote at Monday's final session of the year.

But they raised their voices in front of any of us who will listen, like on a bill up for committee consideration that would raise salaries for the governor and his cabinet and lawmakers.

>> Bottom line is we don't deserve it.

There is no chance we should get salary raises for state legislators.

There are 443 different jobs in the state of New Jersey.

That is less than the amount of money they want to have us make for a part-time job.

It is ludicrous.

It is a poor use of public funds.

David: Lobbyists and advocates waited patiently in the State House Annex meeting rooms as discussions and deals were had and made in caucus rooms.

Affordable housing reform, which would kill the Council on affordable housing and create special regional masters to assess affordable housing needs, was announced with great fanfare.

Except now, not so much.

>> In my opinion it needs a little more work, OK?

I'm getting calls from constituents in my district -- actually, my town -- who say it is detrimental to the city.

I have a problem with that bill.

>> Right now it is on the agenda.

I'm not sure where the discussions are between the two houses.

You know, and I think that is still being worked through.

I guess we will see what the Senate does.

But it is on the agenda for consideration by this committee today, and it's -- where the discussions are at this moment in time are above my pay grade.

David: The much talked about and still being wrestled with bill that would help small breweries that want to expand their offerings but are caught in the fight over expanding the number of liquor licenses in the state appears to have found some compromise, according to the sponsor.

>> It does a lot easing restrictions on breweries, whether it is events, ability to contract with food vendors, everything they're doing from trivia nights to having food trucks.

It is going to make it much easier for small businesses to operate.

David: The larger fish to fry, allowing for the accretion of more liquor licenses around the state, will not be a major feature of this bill, which like some others we have mentioned here will probably make it out of today's committee meetings.

But then again, might not.

We will have to see when the session officially comes to an end on Monday.

I'm David Cruz, "NJ Spotlight News."

Briana: An issue that's been at the center of massive nursing strikes in the state is finally getting taken up in the legislature.

Lawmakers heard testimony on a controversial bill that will set limits for nurse-to-patient ratios.

The proposal was introduced 16 years ago and would codify into law how many patients a nurse can care for at most medical centers in the state.

Many nurses unions are backing the legislation as essential for protecting both workers and patients.

But as I health care writer tells us, hospitals fear it is an impossible standard to meet.

She joins me with the latest.

This is an issue that has been in the spotlight really because of these strikes that have been going on.

But what is the proposal that legislators are considering today?

One of the nuts and bolts of it?

Lilo: the nuts and bolts is it would take a concept that many nurses and labor unions feel is extremely important to patient safety and codify it in law.

It involves the specific ratios for each different units of the hospital, and in this case, in this legislation, behavioral health facilities, state hospitals, all kinds of places, including ambulatory care, outpatient care, and literally put down in law you need 1-1 in this situation, anesthesia, you need 1-2 in neonatal care, you need 1-5 in your General Hospital, and so on and so forth.

Briana: So, considering the fact that this has been an argument for many years, and of course reached a peak during the pandemic and after, nursing homes are now being held to this standard, wire lawmakers just now considering this bill -- why are lawmakers just now considering this bill?

Lilo: Like you say, this is been around as long as I've been doing this work, almost.

The bill goes back to at least 2008.

There is been always this pushback from the hospital industry, nursing-home industry, that we can't afford this and it is impossible, because there is always a shortage of nurses.

And that is a real concern.

What is bringing it to the forefront now is I think the strikes.

I spoke to Senator Vitale earlier today, and he said that really did put a spotlight on this, as others have said.

He also said that it showed that while the bill is not up for a vote today, it is just up for discussion, he said to me it shows that there is a possible way to do this.

One of the key points that strike was settled over was a staffing agreement that apparently is codified somehow in the contract and has -- the nurses are comfortable with it, they are pleased with it, the hospital is willing to do it .

Vitale's point is there is a way forward.

It may not look like is for all hospitals, but they show this for a major hospital in New Jersey, they showed this is possible.

Briana: Hospitals are against it, but correct me if I'm wrong, there have been some nurses unions who said we need flexibi lity here when staffing is needed in other departments, we don't want to be held to these numbers, and there are folks with seniority that can handle more patients than a junior nurse.

Lilo: Yes, there is that argument, and not all nurses are on board with this concept.

There is definitely the question of how you rank people.

But the pushback is hospitals or the institutions tend to count people who are essentially doing secretarial or other administrative duties.

As a nurse, that person may have a degree but isn't functioning as a nurse.

The point is if everybody did this the way they should, we wouldn't need the law, I guess is the argument.

Here we are.

We look at a vote soon?

That is TBD, but an interesting discussion.

Briana: And a problem that isn't going away.

Thank you so much.

As Governor Murphy noted today, community violence intervention programs are proving to be effective tools in reducing crime.

Now a number of those organizations are gearing up to share a pot of new funding being made available through a fund created with New Jersey's recreational cannabis industry to reinvest in communities most in need.

Melissa Rose Cooper reports.

>> A lot of us are here, we was born and raised in the southern community.

We have community health care workers that have expense personal violence or was raised in the community.

We can be able to get back to the community and help them, because when people come out, we are meeting them at their most vulnerable moment.

Melissa: which is why she says the hospital violence intervention program with University Hospital as a much-needed initiative.

Health care workers partner up with community advocates in an effort to reduce crime by providing various crisis intervention assistance for victims and their families, including counseling, conflict mediation, and access to social services.

She knows firsthand the impact a program like this can make it, having lost her son's father to gun violence.

>> It made me feel like I needed to put more effort and more -- like, I wanted to help the community, because I felt like if we had this program when we was a life, he would still be here.

Melissa: The program is one of many across New Jersey said to share $5.2 million in state funding to assist with crime reduction.

The money will come from the cannabis regulatory enforcement assistance modern place -- marketplace modernization fund, invested in communities most affected by the criminalization of marijuana.

>> This investment will make this state healthier and sustainable.

I think that is something that New Jersey is pioneering on as far as being able to identify what many felt really made many people in our community for -- in our community vulnerable, and re-franchising them and restoring the rights and investing in communities.

Melissa: Positive impact that Chirali of blaze response please helping people achieve.

>> We do a lot of reeducation for the community that is done through social media and online presence.

Melissa: But while the cannabis industry is providing more opportunities for residents, Patel says there is concerns.

>> The reality of not having access to traditional banking and capital is what leads to a lot of issues we are seeing now, because real estate is tight.

When you add the fact that municipalities get to opt in and create their own zones, you are restricting the areas they can operate out of, and if you don't have the capital for that real estate, you're out of luck.

Melissa: But she's optimistic that things will improve.

Dr. Adams says reinvestment of cannabis funding for violence prevention programs is a step in the right direction.

>> We are pleased we are re- funded for another cycle for another program year, and what that means for us is we get to continue this great work.

This hospital and other hospitals that have been awarded, it's an expensive undertaking to employ an entire team that is focused completely, really -- imagine a team that is focused completely on working with individuals who have come to the hospital who are victims of crime.

This funding allows us to keep that going.

Melissa: Positive signs the cannabis industry is helping to keep people off the streets and trying to save more lives.

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

Briana: In our spotlight on business report, the so-called Santa Claus rally to start the new year never happened.

Wall Street is trying to shake off a rough start to 2024, with stocks opening higher.

Here are the closing trading numbers.

Tune in this weekend to "NJ Business Beat" with Raven Santana.

She focuses on your financial health, from getting a hold of your debt to building savings now and retirement.

Watch on the YouTube channel Saturday at 10:00 a.m. Briana: One of the most endangered mammals in the world, but New Jersey Congressman Frank Pallone says there is a way to save North Atlantic white whales, which are on the brink of extinction thanks to human activity.

Pallone is demanding the U.S. Coast Guard and other federal agencies enforce speeding restrictions on large shipping vessels.

According to federal data, past-moving -- fast moving vessel spikes and entanglements are responsible for three quarters of whale deaths and injuries.

But no one is stopping them from breaking speeding laws.

Brenda Flanagan reports.

>> Boats are speeding and whales are dying, just that simple.

Brenda: Advocates for North Atlantic white wells issued a dire warning, the busy and shipping lanes too often end up as hit and run victims, killed by massive cargo ships that violate seasonal go-slow zones, in red on the map.

86% of big cargo vessels using the ports of New York and New Jersey exceeded the 11-mile per hour mandatory speed limit established by the national oceanic and atmospheric administration, according to a recent study.

>> Even one human-caused death is too many for this population to sustain.

If NOAA wants to save the species from extension, ships must slow down when these wells are present, and speeding both must be held accountable.

>> We see mammals washing ashore on the East Coast and around the entire country, most of them with clear evidence of propeller marks and injuries and severe skull damage and internal bleeding.

We must actually do the work to crack down and force the vessel speed rule.

>> The idea that they just issue the rule and don't enforce it is totally unacceptable to me.

Brenda: Congressman Frank Pallone says the Coast Guard has told him they need more resources to enforce the whale safety speed limit.

NOAA reports it has pursued just 56 civil cases with about $1 million in fines the past two years.

A frustrated Pallone fired off a letter to both agencies demanding they expand existing enforcement efforts to ensure compliance with the rule and deter violators.

>> If you have a rule and find out nobody is enforcing it, it doesn't have any deterrent effect.

>> It is basically a speeding ticket.

Brenda: Greg rally serve in the Coast Guard and credits NOAA, which didn't reply to our request for comment, for applying stricter rules.

But he says both agencies need to take strong action.

>> I know even smaller amounts of enforcement, even small tickets because changes in behavior.

Brenda: Can you spot the red dot?

It shows a satellite-tagged whale migrating north, conditions that have increased since climate change straws and whales who follow the fish closer to shore.

Since 2017 more than 120 whales have died, most of them after ship strikes and entanglements.

Only 340 North Atlantic white whales remain, including 70 breeding females.

>> When those calf pairs are in the water, they are especially susceptible to vessel spikes.

They spent a lot of time at or near the surface, and that is exactly where the strikes happen.

>> It is time to ensure that we don't have lawbreakers on the Jersey shore that are recklessly speeding.

Brenda: Pallone says NOAA got $82 million in federal infrastructure funding this past summer.

He urged the agency and Coast Guard to spend more on speed enforcement.

I'm Brenda Flanagan, "NJ Spotlight News."

Briana: And that's going to do it for us tonight.

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

I am Briana Vannozzi.

For the entire "NJ Spotlight News" team, thanks for being with us.

We will see you back here tomorrow night.

>> New Jersey education Association, making public school grade for every child.

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

>> NJM Insurance Group has been part of New Jersey for over a century.

We support century.

our communities through the corporate giving program supporting arts and culture-related and nonprofit organizations that serve to improve the lives of children and create a new generation of safe drivers.

We are proud to be part of New Jersey.

NJM -- we've got New Jersey covered.