>>> FUNDING FOR NJ SPOTLIGHT NEWS IS PROVIDED BY INSURANCE GROUP, SERVING THE INSURANCE NEEDS OF RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES FOR MORE THAN 100 YEARS.

AND HORIZON BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD OF NEW JERSEY, AN INDEPENDENT LICENSEE OF THE BLUE CROSS AND BLUE SHIELD ASSOCIATION.

>>> FROM PBS, THIS IS NJ SPOTLIGHT NEWS.

>>> GOOD EVENING.

AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US THIS TUESDAY NEWS.

I AM BRIANA VANNOZZI.

>>> FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE MAY, THE CDC IS ISSUING A TROUBLING MORNING ABOUT CORONAVIRUS RELATED ILLNESSES.

PREDICTING DAILY HOSPITALIZATIONS DUE TO COVID- 19 WILL INCREASE.

DRIVEN BY THE NEW HIGHLY CONTAGIOUS BA.5 VARIANT.

IT IS A STRAIN OF THE VIRUS THAT IS ABLE TO ESCAPE IMMUNITY FROM PRIOR INFECTIONS AND VACCINES.

BA.5 NOW ACCOUNTS FOR 80% OF ALL NEW CASES IN OUR REGION.

THE STATE IS REPORTING MORE THAN 2800 NEW POSITIVE CASES AND 11 MORE CONFIRMED DEATHS TODAY.

THE SEVEN DAY AVERAGE IS UP 25% FROM A MONTH AGO.

AT THE RATE OF TRANSMISSION IS ALSO STEADILY RISING.

ALL OF IT MEANS THE OUTBREAK IS EXPANDING.

PUBLIC HEALTH LEADERS ARE WORKING TO KEEP A HANDLE ON THE PANDEMIC AS THEY TACKLE ANOTHER VIRAL OUTBREAK.

MONKEYPOX.

NEW JERSEY HAS 45 PROBABLE AND CONFIRMED CASES, ACCORDING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH.

A NUMBER THAT HAS BEEN GOING UP EVERY WEEK.

AND WHILE THE VIRUS IS RARE AND NOT NEARLY AS CONTAGIOUS AS COVID, HEALTH EXPERTS SAY THERE IS STILL REASON FOR CONCERN.

THE DEAN OF THE SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH SAYS THERE IS PLENTY TO BE LEARNED FROM THE CORONAVIRUS RESPONSE THAT COULD HELP THE STATE CONTAIN THE MONKEYPOX OUTBREAK.

AND DR. PERRY JOINS ME NOW.

LET ME ASK YOU FIRST ABOUT MESSAGING.

YOU HAVE SOME FOLKS WHO SAY IT IS MISLEADING, BEING ALARMIST ABOUT THIS VIRUS, AND OTHERS, INCLUDING YOURSELF, THAT SAYS THERE IS NOT ENOUGH OUT THERE.

>> SO, THE MESSAGING ABOUT MONKEYPOX IS COMPLICATED.

ON THE ONE HAND, I WOULD ARGUE THAT YOU HAVE TO BE VERY CLEAR IN OUR DIRECTION ABOUT MONKEYPOX AND WHAT IT IS DOING IN OUR POPULATION, OR WE WILL FIND OURSELVES, AGAIN, IN A SITUATION WHERE THE MESSAGING WITH ALL UNDERGROUND AND HID IT IN THE BEGINNING OF THE COVID- 19 PANDEMIC, ABSOLUTELY THIS VIRUS DOES NOT KILL.

BUT MORTALITY RATE IS EXTREMELY LOW.

BUT IT IS WRITING, AND IT IS SPREADING RAPIDLY.

I THINK THE MESSAGING HAS TO BE CLEAR AND DIRECT.

MOST AMERICANS JUST WANT TO KNOW THE INFORMATION.

MOST NEW JERSEYANS WANT TO KNOW THE INFORMATION.

LET'S GIVE PEOPLE THE FACTS AND NOT WORRY ABOUT HOW THEY WILL REACT.

>> LET'S GIVE THEM THOSE FACTS.

HOW IS IT SPREAD?

A LOT OF THE TALK OF COURSE HAS BEEN ABOUT SEXUAL INTERACTIONS, MEN WHO HAVE SEX WITH MEN, IN PARTICULAR.

BUT IT IS NOT LIMITED TO THAT.

IS IT?

>> SO, TO BE CLEAR, OF COURSE, AS WITH ANY VIRUS, AS WITH ANY PATHOGEN, IT CAN AFFECT ANYBODY.

BUT AS WE KNOW FROM 41 YEARS OF HIV, IN THE UNITED STATES, WHILE ANYBODY CAN GET HIV, PRIMARILY GAY MEN ARE THE ONES WHO ARE ACQUIRING IT.

THIS DISEASE, MONKEYPOX, WHICH HAS BEEN ENDEMIC TO THE AFRICAN CONTINENT FOR MANY YEARS IS SPREAD THROUGH SKIN TO SKIN CONTACT.

IT DOES NOT MEAN YOU HAVE TO HAVE SEXUAL INTERCOURSE.

YOU CAN JUST BE HUGGING AND KISSING AND LYING AROUND.

HOWEVER, AT THIS POINT IN THE EPIDEMIC, AT THIS POINT IN THE TRANSMISSION VECTOR OF THE DISEASE, IT IS PRIMARILY IN THE GAY POPULATION.

IN MAKE IT TO THE GENERAL POPULATION.

WHO KNOWS.

IF WE RESPOND QUICKLY ENOUGH AND CONTAIN IT, PROBABLY NOT.

RIGHT NOW, IT IS PROBABLY GAY MEN, AND IT IS NOT ABOUT INTERCOURSE NECESSARILY.

IT IS ABOUT SKIN TO SKIN CONTACT .

ONE MIGHT CALL AFFECTION, CARESSING, THAT IS HOW IT IS SPREAD.

>> HOW DO YOU RECOMMEND THE STATE GO ABOUT MINIMIZING THE STIGMA THAT HAS BEEN ATTACHED TO THIS?

>> YEAH, SO I THINK FIRST AND FOREMOST, IT IS NOT A GAY DISEASE.

BEING REALLY CLEAR ON HOW IT SPREADS.

AT THE SAME TIME, RESPECTING THE FACT THAT GAY MEN ARE BEING UNDULY BURDENED BY THIS.

LOOK, AND THE UNITED STATES, IN NEW JERSEY, IN THE HANDS OF THE WRONG PEOPLE, THIS INFORMATION IS GOING TO BE MISCONSTRUED.

ALL WE CAN DO IS SAY THIS, WE NEED TO RECOGNIZE THAT GAY MEN ARE BEING AFFECTED.

WE NEED TO GET VACCINES TO THEM.

AND WE NEED TO SAY TO PEOPLE, LOOK, THIS IS A DISEASE THAT CAN BE CONTAINED VERY EASILY.

BUT LET'S NOT JUST POINT AT GAY MEN.

HONESTLY, THIS DISEASE COULD HAVE STARTED ANYWHERE.

AT A STREET WEDDING, AT A KEEN SENIOR OUT, AT A BARBECUE, IT JUST SO HAPPENS THAT IT IS IN PORTUGAL AT AN EVENT WHERE SOMEBODY, I WOULD SUGGEST, SOMEBODY LIKELY FROM THE AFRICAN CONTINENT WAS PARTICIPATING AND IT SPREAD.

IT HAPPENED TO BE NJ SPOTLIGHT NEWS AND MEN.

BUT IT COULD'VE BEEN ANYBODY.

>> WHAT WE NEED TO KNOW?

>> WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH VACCINE, FIRST AND FOREMOST.

THERE IS THE SMALLPOX VACCINE, WHICH PROVIDES SOME EFFECTIVENESS.

HERE IS WHAT MY SUGGESTION IS.

IF YOU BELIEVE THAT YOU ARE POTENTIALLY AT RISK OR YOU HAVE ENGAGED SOCIALLY OR SEXUALLY OR INTIMATELY WITH SOMEBODY WHO MIGHT'VE BEEN EXPOSED, ESPECIALLY IF YOU ARE A GAY MAN, AND ESPECIALLY IF BORN AFTER 1972, TRY TO GET VACCINATED.

>> DR. PERRY, THANK YOU.

REALLY IMPORTANT INFORMATION TO GET OUT THERE.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> IT WAS MY PLEASURE.

>>> DANGEROUSLY HOT WEATHER IS EXPECTED TO SMOTHER THE STATE THIS WEEK.

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAYS, MANY AREAS WILL SEE TEMPERATURES REACH THE MID-90s THROUGH SUNDAY.

BUT THURSDAY, THAT IS WHEN IT IS EXPECTED TO BE THE MOST OPPRESSIVE, WHEN THE COMBO OF HEAT AND HUMIDITY WILL BE HIGHEST.

MAKING FOR AN UNRELENTING DAY OF HIGH TEMPERATURES.

IT MEANS, CERTAIN GROUPS ARE MOST AT RISK FROM THE EXTREME WEATHER, INCLUDING THE ELDERLY, CHILDREN, PREGNANT PEOPLE, AND ANYONE WITH A CHRONIC ILLNESS.

THEY SHOULD TAKE CARE TO STAY IN AN AIR-CONDITIONED ENVIRONMENT IF POSSIBLE.

>>> MEANTIME, WILD SUMMER WEATHER SWEPT THROUGH PARTS OF THE STATE MONDAY.

TORRENTIAL RAINS FLOODED SECTIONS OF PASSAIC COUNTY'S WHERE THE CLEANUP IS STILL UNDERWAY.

THE FLASH FLOODING LEFT CARS STRANDED IN PARKING LOTS AND ON HIGHWAYS, RESULTING IN WATER RESCUES FOR SOME DRIVERS OF THE ABANDONED VEHICLES.

AT THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AS BETWEEN 1 TO 4 INCHES FELL THROUGHOUT AREAS OF NORTH JERSEY.

>>> CANCELLATIONS AND DELAYS ARE NOW BEING FACTORED IN AS A ROUTINE PART OF TRAVEL FOR AIRLINE PASSENGERS.

U.S. AIRLINES ALREADY CANCELED MORE THAN 100,000 FLIGHTS THIS YEAR, AND IT IS NOT EVEN HURRICANE SEASON.

MOST OF THE ISSUES ARE SELF- INFLICTED, ACCORDING TO INDUSTRY EXPERTS.

CAUSED BY STAFFING SHORTAGES DURING THE PANDEMIC AND RISING DEMAND FOR TRAVEL.

AS TED GOLDBERG REPORTS, NEW ANALYSIS SHOWS THE AIRPORT WITH THE WORST RECORD FOR CANCELLATIONS AND DELAYS IS RIGHT HERE IN NEW JERSEY.

>> Reporter: FLYING OUT OF NEWARK CAN BE STRESSFUL ENOUGH, EVEN WITHOUT SEEING THOSE DREADED ORANGE LETTERS ON THE FLIGHT BOARD.

>> I HOPE MINE DOESN'T GET CANCELED.

>> SO FAR, WE HAVE BEEN GOOD.

HOPEFULLY WE HAVE GOOD AIRLINES.

BUT I HOPE I DON'T HAVE ANY CANCELLATIONS.

>> I HAVEN'T HAD A PROBLEM.

I FLEW IN.

I AM FLYING BACK TO FORT LAUDERDALE.

I WAS FLYING SO FAR.

BUT I'VE HEARD OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE GOT CANCELED IN THE FAMILY.

>> Reporter: BUT NOT ALL OF THESE FLYERS ARE AS FORTUNATE.

>> WE ARE DELAYED HAVE AN HOUR, AND WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING BREAKFAST IN THE SKY LOUNGE.

MEGAN HAS BEEN AN INCONVENIENCE.

LIKE, NOT EVEN KNOWING, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN ON YOUR TRIP.

>> OUR FLIGHT JUST GOT DELAYED FOR NO APPARENT REASON.

AND THIS LINE IS RIDICULOUS.

THEY ONLY HAVE GOT THREE PEOPLE WORKING.

IT LOOKS LIKE THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY ARE DOING.

>> Reporter: MARK IS ONE OF MANY TRAVELERS AGGRAVATED BY ALL THE DELAYS AND CANCELLATIONS IGNORED BY PASSENGERS TRAVELING IN AND OUT OF NEWARK.

ACCORDING TO FLIGHTAWARE, WAS A PERCENT OF SUMMER FLIGHTS OUT OF NEWARK HAVE BEEN CANCELED.

THE WORST MARKED BY ANY AMERICAN AIRPORT.

IF YOU WOULD RATHER FLY OUT OF LaGUARDIA, IT IS NUMBER TWO ON THIS LIST, WITH ALMOST TWICE AS MANY CANCELLATIONS AS JFK.

ALL THREE AIRPORTS FAIR A BIT BETTER AND DELAYS, BUT THEY ARE STILL HIGH UP ON THE LIST.

KATHLEEN IS A SPOKESPERSON FOR FLIGHTAWARE.

AND SHE SAYS STRUGGLING REGIONAL AIRLINES ARE PARTLY TO BLAME.

>> THEY HAVE LOST A LOT OF PILOTS.

THEY HAVE HAD TO SCALE BACK AND CUT BACK BECAUSE THEY SIMPLY HAVE BEEN PARKING AIRPLANES.

SO, WHAT WE ARE SEEING IS SOME AIRPORTS THAT HAVE MORE REGIONAL SERVICE ARE EVEN HAVING A BIGGER IMPACT.

NEWARK AIRPORT HAS A TERRIBLE RUNWAY CONFIGURATION.

IT IS AN OUTDATED DESIGN THAT DATES BACK DECADES TO AN AIRCRAFT DID NOT NEED AS MUCH ROOM BETWEEN THEM AS THEY TAKE OFF AND LAND.

THAT COMPLICATES MATTERS FOR NEWARK WHEN WEATHER BECOMES BAD.

>> Reporter: HENRY SAYS THE AIRPORT HAS REBOUNDED SINCE THE CHAOTIC FOURTH OF JULY WEEKEND.

IT >> IT HAS GOTTEN BETTER, BUT THAT IS ALMOST BECAUSE WE COULDN'T HAVE GOTTEN WORSE.

>> Reporter: BUT HE IS NOT SURE WE ARE OUT OF THE WOODS YET.

>> THE WEATHER PROBLEMS ARE FEWER, THE AIRLINES SEEM TO BE MORE RELIABLE.

THAT DOESN'T MEAN THERE AREN'T PROBLEMS.

THERE JUST ARE RELATIVELY FEWER OF THEM.

HOWEVER, WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF SUMMER, AND SUMMER BRINGS BAD WEATHER.

SO, JUST BECAUSE WE MAY HAVE DODGED A FEW BULLETS DOESN'T MEAN WE DON'T FACE A POTENTIAL BARRAGE OF PROBLEMS COMING BETWEEN NOW AND LABOR DAY.

>> Reporter: HE SAYS THE PILOT SHORTAGE WON'T BE FIXED BY THE END OF THE SUMMER.

SHE IS A FORMER PILOT AND SAYS AIRLINES WILL NEED TIME TO HIRE EVERYONE THEY LOST OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS.

>> THEY DON'T HAVE THE STIMULATOR SPACE AVAILABLE BECAUSE THEY HAVE NEVER HAD TO DO THIS MANY TRAINING EVENTS AT ONE TIME.

WHEN ALL OF THESE PEOPLE WERE LAID OFF AND ALL THESE PEOPLE SIMPLY WEREN'T FLYING WITH COVID, WHEN ALL OF THESE PILOTS TOOK EARLY RETIREMENT, THAT RESHUFFLED THE SONORITY DECK.

AND EVERY AIRLINE HAS SENIORITY.

EVERY AIRLINE BELONGS TO A UNION.

AND TO FURTHER COMPLICATE IT, THE TOP THREE OR FOUR CARRIERS ALL HAVE DIFFERENT UNIONS.

SO, IT IS A VERY COMPLEX PICTURE IN TERMS OF STAFFING.

>> Reporter: SHE EXPECTS DELAYS THE SLOWDOWN IN THE FALL AS DEMAND FOR FLYING JOBS AFTER THE SUMMER.

FOR NJ SPOTLIGHT NEWS, I AM TED GOLDBERG.

>>> OKAY, FROM THE AIR TO THE ROADS, CARS HAVE QUITE POSSIBLY NEVER BEEN AS HARD TO GET AS THEY ARE NOW.

AND THAT HAS OPENED THE DOOR FOR A SPIKE IN THEFTS STATEWIDE.

NEW JERSEY LEADERS ARE SPENDING MILLIONS TO HELP CURB THE THOUSANDS OF VEHICLES BEING STOLEN OR CARJACKED.

AS RAVEN SANTANA REPORTS, THIEVES ARE TARGETING SUBURBAN AND URBAN NEIGHBORHOODS ALIKE.

>> WHILE I WAS ON THE PHONE, I MEAN JUST FEET FROM THE END MY DOG AND MY WIFE, SOME GUYS TRIED TO STEAL MY CAR.

>> Reporter: SENATOR DECK LEND DESCRIBING THE MOMENT HE WAS ON A ZOOM CALL WITH PEOPLE LAST JANUARY WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN POLICE WERE AT HIS FRONT DOOR TO TELL HIM SOMEONE WAS TRYING TO STEAL HIS CAR.

AFTER A SHORT CHASE OF THE STREET, POLICE WERE ABLE TO RECOVER THE VEHICLE BUT NOT THE PERPETRATORS.

>> WE HAVE TO DO WHAT WE CAN TO CURB THIS EPIDEMIC BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT.

>> YOU KNOW, YOU STILL A NICE CAR OUT OF SOMEONE'S DRIVEWAY.

AND THEY ARE LITERALLY TAKING THEM IN BROAD DAYLIGHT.

>> Reporter: JERSEY IS ON HIS WAY TO SET A NEW RECORD OF VEHICLES STOLEN IN A YEAR.

AUTO THEFTS INCREASED 16.5% AND 2021.

IN NEW JERSEY, THERE WERE MORE THAN 14,000 VEHICLES REPORTED STOLEN IN 2021.

A 22% INCREASE FROM 2020.

AS OF MAY THIS YEAR, THERE WAS A 37% INCREASE IN NEW JERSEY COMPARED TO MAY OF LAST YEAR.

>> CLEARLY A CAR THEFT RING GOING ON, ESPECIALLY THE NORTHERN PART OF THE STATE.

THEY GET STOLEN OUT OF PEOPLE'S DRIVEWAYS.

THEY GET SENT, AND OFTEN BY YOUNGER PEOPLE ARE STEALING THEM, AND THEY GET DRIVEN RIGHT TO THE PORT OF WHERE THEY GET HIDDEN FOR A DAY FOR SOMEWHERE AND THEN GO TO THE PORT OF NEWARK, AND GET PUT INTO A CONTAINER, LOADED ON A SHIP, AND SENT OVERSEAS.

WE ARE SEEING A HUGE SURGE TO WESTERN AFRICA OF AUTO THEFT.

>> Reporter: THAT IS I CONGRESSMAN JOSH GOTTHEIMER WHO IS A MEMBER OF THE COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY SAYS HE IS NOW CALLING ON THE ADMINISTRATION TO CREATE A NATIONAL AUTO THEFT TASK FORCE TO COORDINATE BETWEEN FEDERAL, STATE AND LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT.

>> WE ALSO NEED TO PUT MORE PRESENCE AT THE PORTS, MORE ENFORCEMENT AT THESE PORTS.

HOMELAND SECURITY HAS GOT TO PUT MORE PEOPLE COME A BORDER PATROL HAS GOT TO PUT MORE PEOPLE AT THE PORTS.

AND SO, I AM WORKING WITH AND I HAVE ASKED AND AND PUSHING EACH LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT TO COORDINATE TOGETHER TO BE MORE AGGRESSIVE TO GO AFTER THESE -- IT IS VERY EXPENSIVE FOR FOLKS.

CARS KEEP GETTING STOLEN.

IT IS NOT ONLY A HUGE INCONVENIENCE FOR THEM.

IT AFFECTS THEIR INSURANCE.

IT IS ACTING OVERALL PEOPLE'S ABILITY TO GET AROUND.

BUT ALSO, YOU KNOW, YOU REALLY CAN'T JUST ALLOW THIS TO GO ON.

YOU HAVE GOT TO BE TOUGHER.

YOU HAVE GOT TO BE MORE AGGRESSIVE.

THAT IS WHAT WE ARE PUSHING FOR.

>> Reporter: SEAN GOLDEN SAYS CAR THEFT HAS BEEN RAMPANT IN HIS COUNTY WHERE THEY SEE STOLEN VEHICLES PRETTY MUCH EVERY DAY.

>> I THINK WE NEED SOME TYPE OF THREE STRIKES POLICY WHERE THE OFFENDERS, IF THEY ARE RELEASED IN 24 HOURS AND WE REARRESTED THEM, YOU KNOW, THEY AT LEAST ARE KEPT IN INCARCERATION UNTIL TRIAL.

IF NOT, IF THEY ARE RELEASED AGAIN BY THE THIRD STRIKE, YES, WE SHOULD BE KEEPING THIS INDIVIDUAL TO STAND TRIAL AND HAVE STIFFER PENALTIES.

I THINK THAT IS THE WAY TO ATTACK IT.

AND AGAIN, IT IS NOT FOR A LACK OF LAW ENFORCEMENT TRYING.

I MEAN, I WAS WITH THE ATTORNEY GENERAL JUST EARLIER TODAY, WHO, YOU KNOW, ALLOWED THE CHASE POLICY TO CONTINUE.

WHICH I THINK IS HELPFUL, BUT YOU CAN CHASE THESE INDIVIDUALS DOWN AND ARREST THEM.

THAT IS NOT THE ISSUE.

IT'S BEING REARRESTED AND RE- RELEASED TO DO IT AGAIN AND AGAIN.

>> Reporter: CONGRESSMAN IS CALLING FOR A STRONGER PROSECUTION FOR CAR THIEVES.

MEANWHILE, SHARE GOLDEN SAYS, SIMPLY LOCK YOUR CAR AND WILL UP YOUR WINDOWS WHEN YOUR VEHICLE IS UNOCCUPIED TO PREVENT IT FROM BEING STOLEN.

FOR NJ SPOTLIGHT NEWS, I AM RAVEN SANTANA.

>>> AND IN OUR SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS REPORT TONIGHT, IF YOU HAVE TAKEN YOUR CAR TO FILL UP THE TANK THIS WEEK, YOU HAVE LIKELY NOTICED THE DROP IN THE PRICES AT THE PUMP.

THE COST OF GAS IN NEW JERSEY AND NATIONWIDE IS EXPECTED TO DIP BELOW $4 A GALLON THIS WEEK.

THAT IS WELCOME RELIEF FOR MOTORISTS AFTER HITTING A RECORD HIGH IN MID-JUNE.

AND IT IS EXPECTED TO ALLEVIATE SOME OF THE FINANCIAL PRESSURE HOUSEHOLDS ARE FEELING AS THEY WRESTLE THE HIGHEST INFLATION IN FOUR DECADES.

BUT IT WILL STILL COST YOU.

THE AVERAGE IN NEW JERSEY IS RIGHT AROUND 4:57 FOR REGULAR GAS.

A WEEK AGO, IT WAS MORE THAN $.10 HIGHER AT $4.69.

A MONTH AGO, THAT WAS THE PEAK, $5 A GALLON.

IT IS A BIG IMPROVEMENT, BUT STILL, A DOLLAR 39 HIGHER THAN DRIVERS PAID THE SAME TIME LAST YEAR.

SEVERAL FACTORS ARE DRIVING DOWN THE PRICE, INCLUDING CUTBACKS IN DEMAND AND FEARS OF A GLOBAL RECESSION IMPACTING OIL PRICES.

BUT ECONOMISTS WARN OF A SEESAW EFFECT HERE.

THE PRICES LIKELY WON'T LAST AND COULD CREEP UP AGAIN LATER THIS SUMMER.

>>> THAT HIGHER COST OF FOOD, FUEL, AND EVERYTHING ELSE IS PUTTING THE PRESSURE BACK ON FOOD BANKS IN THE STATE.

THEY ARE ONCE AGAIN EXPERIENCING LONG LINES AND HIGH DEMAND FOR HELP.

ROUGHLY 800,000 RESIDENTS ARE CONSIDERED FOOD INSECURE.

ON ANY GIVEN MONTH, THE PRESIDENT OF THE COMMUNITY FOOD BANK OF NEW JERSEY SAYS HIS ORGANIZATION SERVES UPWARDS OF 5 TO 600,000 PEOPLE.

AND THAT NUMBER HAS BEEN TRENDING UPWARD OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS.

COMMUNITY FOOD BANK PRESIDENT CARLOS RODRIGUEZ JOINS ME TO TALK ABOUT THIS SOBERING REALITY THAT HE SAYS IS HERE TO SAY.

CARLOS, WHAT ARE YOU SEEING AT YOUR FOOD BANK?

IS DEMAND THE SAME, WORSE, GREATER THAN IT WAS WHEN WE SAW THOSE LONG LINES DURING THE PANDEMIC?

>> SO, THE DEMAND IS CLEARLY RISING.

AND IT IS RISING BECAUSE FAMILIES ARE JUST HAVING A HARD TIME, STRUGGLING TO MAKE ENDS MEET, BECAUSE OF THE IMPACT OF INFLATION ON SOME OF THE THINGS, SOME OF THE BASIC THINGS THAT WE NEED.

>> THAT MEANS THE DOLLAR DOESN'T STRETCH AS FAR AS IT USED TO.

DO THE DONATIONS THAT YOU'RE GETTING, BOTH CASH AND, YOU KNOW, FOOD, CHARITABLE FOOD, GO AS FAR AS IT USED TO?

>> SO, WE ARE HOPEFUL AND GRATEFUL THAT WE WILL CONTINUE TO RECEIVE ENOUGH SUPPORT AND DONATIONS TO BE ABLE TO MEET THIS NEED.

WE DON'T KNOW WHEN AND IF THIS NEED WILL START, STOP GROWING.

WE ARE TOLD TO EXPECT INFLATION TO BE WITH US FOR A WHILE, AT LEAST FOR THE BETTER PART OF THIS FISCAL YEAR FOR US.

SO WE ARE REALLY BRACING OURSELVES TO BE ABLE TO DO THE BEST THAT WE CAN FOR OUR NEIGHBORS WHO JUST CONTINUE TO STRETCH THEIR DOLLAR THE SAME WAY THAT WE ARE TRYING TO STRETCH A DOLLAR TO BRING ENOUGH FOOD IN.

AND TO GET IT TO THE VARIOUS COMMUNITIES THAT NEED IT.

>> YOU ARE HOPEFUL.

DOES THAT MEAN THAT YOU ARE ABLE TO MEET THIS RISE IN DEMAND?

>> WE ARE HOPEFUL THAT THE FUEL COSTS WILL START STABILIZING OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS.

WE HAVE SEEN YEAR-OVER-YEAR ABOUT 41% INCREASE IN THE DIESEL FUEL THAT GOES INTO OUR FLEET OF TRUCKS, WHICH OF COURSE GET THE FOOD THAT WE ARE BUYING IN LARGE PART AND RECEIVING FROM DONATIONS INTO SO MANY OF THE COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE 15 COUNTIES THAT WE SERVE.

>> I WONDER, ARE THESE CHALLENGES THAT YOU ARE HAVING WITH INFLATION, WITH FUEL COSTS, ALL OF THOSE RISING PRICES, ARE THEY MORE COMPLEX THAN THE CHALLENGES YOU FACED DURING COVID?

>> THEY ARE MORE COMPLEX BECAUSE WE STILL HAVE SUPPLY- CHAIN CHALLENGES BECAUSE OF COVID.

WHETHER IT'S THE RESTART WE SAW OVER THE LAST YEAR, YOU KNOW, IT WAS ADDING A COMPLEXITY TO SUPPLY CHAINS.

THERE ARE START STILL PARTS OF THE WORLD THAT ARE SHUTDOWN OR NOT DONE WITH COVID.

NOW, YOU ADD INFLATIONARY COSTS TO IT.

>> VERY QUICKLY, FOR ANYONE WHO WANTS TO HELP, WHAT IS MOST NEEDED RIGHT NOW?

>> OF COURSE, WE NEED DONATIONS, WE NEED DONATIONS OF FOOD AND DONATIONS OF YOUR FUNDS TO HELP US FUEL OUR TRUCKS AND KEEP THE FOOD COMING IN AND TO SUPPORT OUR LOCAL PANTRIES AS WELL.

WE ARE MAKING SURE THEY HAVE THE RESOURCES THEY NEED TO KEEP BEATING THE LONG LINES IN THEIR COMMUNITY.

>> CARLOS RODRIGUEZ, THINKEST THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

>>> HERE'S A LOOK AT HOW THE STOCK MARKET CLOSED TODAY.

>>> SUMMER SCHOOL HAS LONG BEEN USED TO HELP KIDS FALLING BEHIND, NOW THE PROGRAMS ARE IN A RACE TO HELP STUDENT TO HAVE BEEN HIT HARD BY LEARNING LOSS THROUGHOUT THE PANDEMIC.

GIVING THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET AHEAD AND CATCH UP.

IT IS ONE PIECE OF THE PUZZLE TO FILL ALL OF THE GAPS.

SENIOR CORRESPONDENT JOANNA GAGIS REPORTS.

>> WE HAD A LOT OF PROBLEMS WE HAD TO GO THROUGH, LIKE WHERE WE SHOULD PUT THE STRING, WHERE WE SHOULD PUT THE STRAWS.

IT'S FITTING THE CARS.

>> WE CALL IT A SUMMER ADVENTURE PROGRAM.

IT IS BUILDING BRIDGES.

THEY ARE METAPHORICALLY BUILDING BRIDGES AND PHYSICALLY BUILDING BRIDGES.

AT >> WE STARTED TO ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT WE HAD TO DO, AND THEN WE IMAGINED ABOUT HOW WE WERE GOING TO DO IT.

THEN WE PLANNED ON THE STUFF THAT WE HAD TO DO.

>> Reporter: THIS BUILDING BRIDGES THEME IS A NEW APPROACH TO SUMMER SCHOOL THAT FOCUSES HEAVILY ON SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING WHILE ALSO LEAVING IN ACADEMIC LEARNING.

>> IT IS PRETTY OBVIOUS, AFTER HAVING SPENT A YEAR POST COVID, THAT OUR KIDS NEED TO ENHANCE THEIR ABILITY TO REGULATE BEHAVIOR, TO DEVELOP STRONG RELATIONSHIPS WITH THEIR PEERS, AND WITH THE TEACHERS WHO SERVE THEM, AND TO BUILD A SENSE OF SELF-CONFIDENCE THAT I THINK THEY LOST MUCH OF FOR THE YEAR AND A HALF THEY WERE NOT IN SCHOOL.

>> Reporter: MANY EDUCATORS TRYING TO OVERCOME LEARNING LOSS THAT WAS MADE WORSE BY THE PANDEMIC ARE SHIFTING TO AN APPROACH THAT TEACHES THE WHOLE CHILD, NOT JUST THE ACADEMIC SIDE.

>> CONFIDENCE, THE ABILITY TO INTERACT WITH OTHER PEOPLE, CONSTRUCTIVELY, THAT IS WHAT UNLOCKS ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE.

IN FACT, I WOULD SAY, THAT HAS TO COME BEFORE ACADEMIC LEARNING.

>> Reporter: BUT ACADEMIC LEARNING LOSS IS A PERVASIVE PROBLEM THROUGHOUT THE STATE.

JERSEY RELEASED A REPORT IN THE SPRING THAT SHOWED STAGGERING NUMBERS OF STUDENTS BEHIND GRADE LEVEL.

>> ABOUT 58% OF THE STUDENTS THAT WE LOOKED AT IN THE GRADES K THROUGH EIGHT ARE ONE TO THREE YEARS BEHIND IN READING AND ABOUT 68% OF STUDENTS ARE 1 TO 3 YEARS BEHIND IN MATH.

AND THIS IS JUST A CAUSE FOR CONCERN.

THAT'S A PRETTY BIG PERCENTAGE.

>> Reporter: JANE ELLEN DUFFY SAYS SUMMER IS A VITAL TIME TO TRY TO STEM THOSE LOSSES.

>> SUMMER SCHOOL PROGRAMS THAT ARE DESIGNED WELL AND ARE REALLY ENGAGING STUDENTS WHO ARE MEETING THEIR NEEDS ACADEMICALLY AND SOME OF THEIR SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL NEEDS, CAN HAVE AN IMPACT.

AND WE HAVE SEEN THAT IN THE RESEARCH.

BUT THE GAPS ARE SO BIG THAT IT IS GOING TO TAKE, YOU KNOW, MULTIPLE SUMMERS OF HIGH- QUALITY INTENSIVE SUMMER PROGRAMMING.

AND WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO HAVE TO PUT ADDITIONAL SUPPORTS IN PLACE THIS COMING SCHOOL YEAR TO TRY TO REALLY MEET STUDENTS NEEDS.

>> Reporter: JERSEY CITY USED AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN FUNDS TO EXPANDED SUMMER OFFERINGS BY PARTNERING WITH LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS LIKE -- >> TEAM WILDERNESS THAT PROVIDES NATURE AND TEAMBUILDING AND THROUGH ACTIVITIES AND TAKING STUDENTS OUT TO NATURE AND CONNECTING THEM WITH THE NATURE.

WE HAVE PARTNERSHIPS WITH NJCU.

WE HAVE OWNERSHIPS WITH ARTS PROGRAMS IN NEW YORK, PRECOLLEGE PROGRAMS THAT WE TAKE OUR STUDENTS.

WE HAVE A PARTNERSHIP WITH EDUCATIONAL ARTS CAMP LIBERTY AS WELL.

>> Reporter: PARENTS CAN CHOOSE WHICH PROGRAMS WOULD BEST SUIT THEIR STUDENTS, A SHIFT FROM THE WERE ACADEMIC PROGRAMS THE CITY HAS RUN IN THE PAST.

>> AT THE END OF THE DAY, IF STUDENTS ARE ENGAGED AND THEY ARE HAVING FUN, IT IS THE BEST KIND OF LEARNING, BECAUSE THEY REALLY ARE INTERNALIZING THE KNOWLEDGE.

>> Reporter: AND HEARING UNION, HUGE PART OF THAT IS WORKING AS A TEAM.

>> CAN WE DO A LOT OF ACTIVITIES, AND WE HAVE JIM.

WE LEARN IN CLASS.

WE BUILD BRIDGES OUT OF CLAY AND OTHER STUFF.

IT'S REALLY FUN.

>> Reporter: THIS PROGRAM RUNS FOR THREE WEEKS.

SOME RUN THROUGH THE END OF JULY.

BUT THE HOPE IS THAT THE STUDENTS BRING THIS SENSE OF CONFIDENCE WITH THEM INTO THE CLASSROOM IN SEPTEMBER.

IN UNION, I AM JOANNA GAGIS, NJ SPOTLIGHT NEWS.

>>> FINALLY TONIGHT, A ONE-OF-A- KIND SHOW AT THE JERSEY SHORE.

JUST FOUR MILES OFF THE COAST OF ASBURY PARK, WITH WATCHERS STARTED THE DISTINCTIVE FINS AND HEAD OF A HUMPBACK WHALE, JUST GRACEFULLY GLIDING ITS MASSIVE 50 FOOT LONG BODY THROUGH THE WATER.

AND SCIENTISTS SAY THE SIDINGS ARE BECOMING MORE FREQUENT.

WATERS ALONG NEW JERSEY AND NEW YORK HAVE BECOME SUCH A LARGE FEEDING GROUND FOR HUMPBACK WHALES, THEY ARE STAYING LONGER AND RETURNING YEAR AFTER YEAR.

A STUDY RELEASED MONDAY BY RESEARCHERS AT RUTGERS UNIVERSITY FOUND FROM 2012 TO 2018, THERE WERE SIGHTINGS OF 101 INDIVIDUAL RAILS IN THE AREA BETWEEN THE INLAND TO THE NORTH HUDSON RIVER AND EAST TO FIRE ISLAND.

AS OF THIS WEEK, THAT NUMBER JUMPED TO 257.

NOW, IT IS STILL UNCLEAR WHY THEY ARE HERE, BUT RESEARCHERS ATTRIBUTE IT TO A NUMBER OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTIONS PUT IN PLACE OVER THE LAST SEVERAL DECADES.

WE WILL TAKE IT.

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