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>> Tonight, a state of emergency as a winter storm arose both talking opponents of snow and wind.

And it's time to pay up when you entering the Manhattan.

New Jersey loses the fight over congestion pricing.

>> So I want to say this to all the hard-working families, who keep fighting New York to protect others and make sure to protect Jersey values.

.

>> Also, today marks four years since the January 6 Capitol attack where New Jersey native and Capitol police officer Brian Sicknick was killed.

Will President-elect Donald Trump part of the attackers is when he takes office.

>> the president's power to pardon offenses against the United States is absolute.

There is no restriction other than prudence and discretion and judgment.

>> And bird flu fears are growing with more than 60 confirmed cases are growing.

Health officials of her guidance to keep you safe.

>> so it is driving the price up.

I am a little worried about how far this is going to go.

>> NJSpotlight News starts Right now.

♪ ANNOUNCER: from NJPBS Studios, this is NJ Spotlight News with Briana Vannozzi.

>> Hello and thanks for joining us tonight, I am Joanna Gagis in for Briana Vannozzi.

We start with today's headlines.

First, seven counties are in a state of emergency is a winter storm works its way through the Atlantic.

Snow started falling at 4:00 a.m. and consider the other day, slamming South Jersey the hardest.

Cape May County is excited to have the highest totals by days end with 12 inches according to the National Weather Service.

Other parts of the Atlantic, Cumberland and Salem counties, expect six to eight inches.

Gloucester, Ocean and South East Burlington counties could get four to six inches.

The state of emergency includes speed restrictions of 45 miles per hour on the Parkway and on the turnpike, and 35 Moderator: limits on the expressway, personal foul is the heaviest.

The southern part of the state were closed but had delays, in the storm is bringing with it signally or wind -- severe wind, and give warnings from much of the Jersey shore for you if you are not of that 78 probably not seeing much of it and could get a maximum of one to three inches.

Also, today is January 6, and lawmakers in with D.C. certify the results of the 2024 to presidential election and president-elect Trump's victory.

The scene on Capitol Hill today looked nothing like it did four years ago, when Trump supporters stormed the building to prevent this with the addition of dust to prevent the certification of President Biden's win over Trump.

It looked different today because first there were no rioters and because today's certification was declared a national Special Security event, meaning extra layers of security in and around the Capitol building, including extra high fencing and barriers around the perimeter that was breached by rioters in 2021.

Several of those stormed the capital that day have faced criminal charges and sentencing, according to the U.S. Attorney's office, nearly 1600 people were charged in about 1270 people sentenced, half of them with jail time.

172 rioters pled guilty to charges for assaulting police officers, some of them with a and deadly weapons.

New Jersey native Brian Sicknick was a Capitol police officer who was killed by rioters during that attack and his attacker sentenced to prison.

But as President-elect Donald Trump prepares to retake control of the Oval Office, he has promised to pardon many of those convicted for their actions that day.

We will talk more about the potential pardons with a legal scholar later in the show.

And in one of his final acts in office, President Biden has permanently banned offshore drilling for oil and gas on the east and west coast, in the eastern Gulf of Mexico, and Alaska's northern Bering Sea.

Biden signed those bans through executive order today under an existing law called the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, .

President Trump will take office in just two weeks, and he has promised to drill, baby, drill when his second term starts, saying he wants to expand America's energy production, green lighting projects like the Keystone pipeline.

But Biden's ban may offset some of those plans and could be hard to overturn through the courts.

In his first term, President Trump tried and failed to overturn a similar ban passed during the Obama administration, and that legal precedent will likely be used by the courts.

A spokesperson for Trump called it a, quote, disgraceful decision, designed to exact political revenge on the American people, who gave President-elect Donald Trump a mandate to increase drilling at lower gas prices.

While President Biden said in a statement that there is, quote, minimal fossil fuel potential in those areas to justify the environmental, public health and economic risks, and that drilling off of these costs is unnecessary to meet our nation's energy needs.

Here in New Jersey, only federal waters would be subject to drilling because Governor Murphy signed a law in 2018 banning drilling in any state waters.

New Jersey has lost the battle over congestion price include that means effective yesterday, you are now paying nine dollars each time you enter the city south of 60th Street during heavy traffic periods.

The state's court case came down to the very end.

As a Senior correspondent Brenda Flanagan explains, New Jersey leaders are still promising to fight it.

>> 3, 2, 1!

[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE] Reporter: the empty is generally celebrated launching the first U.S. congestion-pricing tolls at midnight Sunday morning, an historic moment.

1400 cameras started clicking, docking drivers headed to Manhattan at one hundred 10 deduction points south of 60th Street.

Nine dollars a car.

More for trucks.

It is still controversial, congested, and complicated.

>> it is a total system that hasn't been tried before in terms of complexity.

It's not like when you just roll one set of cameras on the highway.

We have to go through a process where we identify when you came in, what type of vehicle, do you have an exemption?

>> This is an exciting time for the New York City metro region the launch signals a victory for progressive activists, capping months of political protests and bitter legal battles between New York and New Jersey.

>> In just a few weeks we're going to see cleaner air, we are going to see a relief of traffic congestion.

And therefore, better commutes for people who have to drive into the city.

>> I think it will help clear the traffic in New York.

I mean, it has been pretty bad when you try to go into the city.

I mean, I try to go in my family once a week and it is so many cars!

Reporter: Transit commuters like Chantel welcomed the toll but many drivers worry it will take a hefty bite out of their already stressed budget.

>> I think it is good because it traffic will not be as bad, but it sucks to pay more.

>> So I want to say this to all the hard-working Jersey families, we will never stop fighting for you.

We are going to keep fighting New York.

Protect your wallets and to make sure we protect our Jersey values.

Reporter: Congestion pricing Pro Congressman Josh Gottheimer said court proceedings are not over.

He noted that federal judge last week ruled that towns like Fort Lee need more robust protection against increased air pollution from traffic detouring to evade the expensive new toll.

New Jersey pushed that angle when it asked the judge to block I'm just on pricing, in an 11th appeal on Friday.

>> we feel that the decision reflected the importance of mitigation for New Jersey communities that are going to be significantly, adversely affected by congestion-pricing ,, that there is a need for a pause here until those issues are resolved.

Reporter: But Judge Leo Gordon refused to delay congestion price in, ruling that the plaintiff failed to demonstrate the likelihood of irreparable harm, and that mitigation is on the way.

The judge has ordered a new plan with more money and an upgrade to curb pollution in New Jersey, comparable to designs created for the Bronx.

>> New York will present their plan on the 17th.

We will be watching every step of the way.

And whether it is today, tomorrow, with the new administration, or through legislation that we plan to introduce, bipartisan legislation, let me be clear to New York -- we will never stop fighting this congestion tax.

Reporter: Will New Jersey Democrats appealed to the President-elect, who has vowed to kill congestion pricing, claiming it's terrible for business?

Governor Murphy hasn't commented.

Lieber argues that toll is tailored to enhance business.

>> It's a huge discount on the overnight.

It is especially designed to incentivize tracks who take up so much space and create so much traffic, to do more of their deliveries overnight.

Reporter: For cards using easy, the tolls plunged to two dollars 25 cents overnight, rising to nine dollars from 5:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. and weekdays, at 9:00 to 9:00 p.m. weekends.

And there is a $3 discount for using the Lincoln or Holland tunnels.

They got more details and monitors will be keeping track of traffic patterns.

>> the best thing is to turn the policy on, see how it is working then look for unintended consequences and make sure to mitigate those.

Reporter: The RPAs, Tom writes, that congestion price is working well in several cities around the world, including London, and even a small reduction in traffic can have an impact.

>> It is the driver who thinks they can make it across before the light changes that get stuck in the middle of the intersection that causes the gridlock that freezes it for everybody.

Reporter: and as toll money starts rolling in, folks will get a better view of the road ahead.

I'm Brenda Flanagan, NJ Spotlight News.

Joanna: There are no known cases of avian flu in the state, but the first human death was just a nest in Louisiana, claiming the life of the first human to contract the virus, called H5N1.

It is found in birds, but has now spread to cattle in more than a dozen states, and has infected more than 60 people so far.

Most of them work with cattle or poultry.

Raven Santana has more on the guidance New Jersey officials are offering than what you should know to stay safe.

>> This particular strain, H5N1, since it was first identified in the early 2000's, tends to spread amongst birds.

What we are seeing or have seen that time, is that it has spread to other mammals, in terms of if they are eating or in contact with that dead or sick bird.

Reporter: the bird flu, as it primarily implies, affects birds.

But as the State epidemiologist warns, unlike past years, there is a new strain appearing in humans.

Mostly those who have contracted the virus because they work with poultry and cattle.

>> These are people who are working with infected animals directly for the most part.

The most humans, about 60% of people who become infected die from the disease.

Reporter: Today, Louisiana reported the first person in the U.S. today from H5N1.

While no cases have been detected here in New Jersey, she says the process to eliminate a potential spread has been painful for farmers, in turn, impacting consumers.

>> Unfortunately, the best way to keep the bird flu from spreading amuck to these agricultural animals, is simply calling the hard --culling the herd.

The best way to prevent the spread is really to euthanize the entire flock.

Same thing with dairy cattle.

Now, for daily cattle there are ways to vaccinate and treat the animals, but if this gets out of hand, what we are seeing and have already seen is the price of milk and eggs going up.

>> The shortages are there in the prices keep going up.

Reporter: That Barden is also being felt by business owners like this owner of a deli in Scotch Plains.

>> A 30 dozen case used to cost me $40.

It's now $160.

A big increase.

And I can't really pass that on to my customers.

Because -- how much do you want to spend for an egg sandwich?

You know, it's getting to be a bit too high.

Reporter: And fortunately, he says he has little control over many factors on the egg shortage.

Right now he says his biggest challenge is not just the increase in price, it's also the size of the eggs.

>> Nothing has ever happened like this.

We have had shortages, but they never ran out.

Now they are actually substituting the size of eggs.

I have some other in extra-large cartons.

I just think they are doing it because, they don't have as many.

Reporter: so, if you are wondering if those eggs you are buying or dairy are safe, the answer is yes.

New Jersey health officials credit are strict surveillance system for that and ask folks not to fret.

>> We have the control over interested movement of cattle.

So, any entering into New Jersey from out of state, you know, they are required to have a certificate of health.

And as part of the USDA federal order, they are required to test for avian flu, bird flu in cattle, before they are shipped into New Jersey.

I think that measure is keeping the bird flu away from New Jersey cattle.

Reporter: The New Jersey Department of Health and agriculture are now trying to keep the bird flu away from pets.

The department, and veterinarians, are now cautioning against consumption of raw milk and raw milk products bypass, after virus appeared in at least 11 cats on the West Coast.

>> What has made this round of concern, is that even though this virus exists normally in the wild, is that there has been a pretty big outbreak in California which has kind of moved itself to other places, in that there was the raw milk hats ingested, there was the raw food also in California, then Washington state had the raw turkey.

Reporter: experts warn if you see a dead or sick animal, call animal control.

They say the best way to prevent an animal or yourself from contracting the virus is to make sure you do not consume raw milk or raw egg.

For NJ Spotlight News, and Raven Santana.

Joanna: Today we'll so once again the more peaceful transfer of power.

Lawmakers doubted whether the peaceful transfer would occur as rioters took over the Capitol leaving leaders from both parties care for their lives.

Many of them have since been discharged and even sentenced for felonies and other violations of the law.

But President Trump has promised to pardon any of those serving jail time, who he calls hostages.

Joining us to talk about what that could look like and the potential implications, is Rutgers Professor of Law, Ron Chen.

Ron we know that so far about 1100 people have been sentenced, 667 of them sentenced to jail time, 140 five and belief to home detention.

What can you tell us about the range of charges that we saw come out of the January 6 day?

Guest: well, they range from relatively low level offenses, disturbing the peace.

Obviously those that involved assaulting another person, including law, are much more serious.

The most serious, and one person who was given a sentence of 22 years, I believe, which is Conspiracy essentially to, sedition, that was obviously a very serious sentence.

There are a few others near that, but not quite at that level.

Joanna: We know that presidents are given pardon power and many of the music.

We saw a biter and just part of his own son on three felonies and six misdemeanor counts on tax fraud.

Are there -- we saw President Biden do that, part of his own son on three felonies and six misdemeanor counts of tax fraud.

Guest: Constitutionally, the president's power to pardon offenses against the United States is absolute.

And really, there is no restriction other than prudence and discretion and good judgment.

If that limits it.

There have, over the past 100 years, been developed criteria, you can see them on the Department of Justice's website or the Office of the Pardon Attorney, criteria that the DOJ uses in recommending pardons to the president.

That is almost always the way that pardons are granted by the President, through the Office of the Pardon Attorney.

But he is not limited by that.

He can grant a pardon outside that process.

Although in the past, usually that hasn't happened.

Among the criteria that is used, is acceptance of responsibility.

Remorse and atonement.

I am not sure under the current circumstances whether that is going to be part of the reason why the president elect grants of the pardons to the January 6 defendants.

Joanna: We know that Brian Sicknick, New Jersey native who was a Capitol police officer, was papers.

That day and died a day later.

The person who pepper-sprayed him was sentenced to six years and he could presumably be among those pardoned we, don't know yet what President Trump will do.

But I just have to ask you, we see this is not on the radar of many Americans anymore, most are not really concerned about it, it seems more than 50% reelected President-elect Trump.

What does that signal to you one, about the priorities of the American people, and two, perhaps about their views on the U.S. Justice Department?

Guest: Let me address that latter because as a lawyer and law professor, I have a professional commitment to the integrity of our justice system, and I am concerned that the face and integrity of our judicial system has been shaken by recent events.

And I would want to do everything I can to restore that faith in the justice system, if restoration is indeed needed.

It's not for me to advise the American people as to what should be the top of their list of priorities are not as we go into an election.

But hopefully one of them is not due to a lack of confidence in the justice system.

But I will admit there are reasons to believe that confidence has been shaken.

As a lawyer, I win cases and I lose cases.

I obviously disagree sometimes with the result that I get on a particular case, but I believe in the overall integrity and belief in the system.

It is the foundation upon which our nation is built.

Briana: We are out of time, Ron Chen, Professor of Law at Rutgers, thank you for being with us tonight.

Guest: My pleasure.

Briana: Have you set a New Year's resolution for a dry January?

You may be among a number of people trying to cut back on how much alcohol they drink.

And it might come the a perfect time, with the Surgeon General issuing an advisory on Friday that alcohol consumption is directly linked to increased risks of several types of cancers, and because of that, adult beverages should come with a warning label.

Ted Goldberg has more on that data and those recommendations.

>> We know for a long time that alcohol pickles the liver.

People know about cirrhosis.

But it turns out, it pickles every organ.

Reporter: a new advisory from the Surgeon General's office is not great news for anyone who drinks.

>> We know the more alcohol a person drinks, the higher the risk of these cancers.

And even moderate amounts, one drink a day or fewer, could still increase the risk of cancer.

>> I don't think the American public has the realization that alcohol is probably the number three leading modifiable risk factor for developing cancer.

Reporter: Just behind tobacco, and a poor diet.

The Surgeon General's warning that we now know about a direct link between alcohol consumption, and a greater risk of being diagnosed with at least seven different types of cancer.

>> Similar to tobacco, alcohol causes cancer in all the places it touches.

Alcohol impairs the kind of the red blood cell factory.

Your bone marrow's ability to make good cells.

And so they often are larger and kind of funny shaped.

We will often see that in the blood work.

>> As alcohol is broken down in the body, it damages our genetic material or DNA.

That is why we see this kind of diverse array of cancers associated with alcohol use.

>> Alcohol increases oxidative stress and inflammation in the body.

It also hormone levels, like estrogen, which contributes to breast cancer development.

Reporter: These held experts agree with recommendations from the Journal serve -- from the Surgeon General's office that alcohol beverages should have warning labels telling people about cancer risks, similar to the existing labels that have warned pregnant women about drinking by law since 1988.

>> It highlights the scientific consensus that alcohol consumption directly links to cancer risk.

The evidence is really clear, that alcohol increases the risk of at least seven types of cancer such as breast cancer, colorectal cancer, cancers of the mouth and throat.

>> By proposing these warning labels on alcohol-containing products, I think that this is similar to elevating alcohol to the risk factor associated with tobacco.

That will be helpful if this is a measure that is eventually passed.

>> People get their medical information from multiple sources.

But if it is something you are opening on a regular basis it will cause you to look at it and go oh, does this really cause cancer.

Reporter: But will the warning labels work?

>> Americans will happily ignore the label warning, but I think there is a segment of the population that will heed the message on the bottle, so to speak.

Reporter: People are going a step further and participating in dry January, where they don't drink alcohol to start the year , or simply cut back.

>> I do think it is a good barometer of the reset of level consumption.

It can be very eye-opening, right, a lot of people who are trying dry generate may realize, hey, I feel a lot better, my sleep quality is better.

>> I have had multiple people tell me you know what, I did dry generate.

I am not going back.

My sleep is the best that has ever been.

I have lost weight.

I don't have a shorter fuse as I always had.

Reporter: the Surgeon General's office claims that every year about 100,000 Americans get cancer related to alcohol consumption and 20,000 Americans will die because of it.

While there are several factors that lead to people getting cancer, drinking booze has become a leading cause of it, as health experts figure out new ways to warn the public.

For NJ Spotlight News, I'm Ted Goldberg.

Joanna: That will do it for us tonight.

Before you go, if you haven't done so yet, down with the NJSpotlight News podcast so you can listen to us any time.

I am Joanna Gagis.

For the entire team here, thanks for being with us, have a, great night and we will see you back here tomorrow.

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♪