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Raven: Tonight, campaign controversy.

Gubernatorial hopeful and radio host Bill Stadia finds himself in hot water after candidates shine a light on what they say is an unfair advantage.

>> Some of the issues are political.

Some are general, his opinion on things and he is running for governor.

Raven: Three years after hurricane Ida, lawmakers make inroads to help survivors.

>> They started foreclosure proceedings for us.

Hopefully this will put a stop to it.

At this point, we weren't even sure what to do.

Raven: The first offshore wind farm project secures federal approval.

What could this mean for jerseys goal to reach clean energy by 2030 five?

Restaurants to reefs.

How your leftovers are being used to safeguard the state's oyster reefs.

>> There is something satisfying about emptying the barge and having 100 tons of oysters put back into the water body.

Raven: NJ Spotlight News begins now.

>> From NJPBS Studios, this is NJ Spotlight News with Briana Vannozzi.

>> Thanks for joining us.

I'm Raven Santana.

Could a radio show be considered an indirect financial benefit to a political campaign?

This could impact the gubernatorial election and it is one that the law enforcement commission is investigating following complaints about Bill Spadea's show.

They will determine if it is free air for the campaign.

A formal complaint could be the determining factor on whether or not Spadea keeps the show while running for governor.

>> You could call Republican political shock talk bill Spadea a lot of things.

Bigoted and opportunist are some words people have chosen.

You would call him naïve.

>> He knows what he's doing.

He knows the advantage he is getting from keeping that radio show.

>> Of course.

Four hours he discusses issues around the state.

Some are very political.

Some are generally his opinion on things and he is running for governor.

>> Which is what the election law enforcement commission acknowledged that a hearing Friday to examine whether Spadea 's radio show constituted an in-kind contribution from Townsquare media which owns the radio station.

The commission took no action.

They say they are now waiting for a complaint to be filed before the move ahead with anything.

>> I'm not an election lawyer, I am a trial lawyer.

I don't know what they said.

They think it is a problem but they are waiting for a complaint?

I thought they brought the complaint.

They initiated the investigation.

Now they are going we initiated it, now we need somebody to public -- in the public to tells us something is wrong.

>> Spadea will keep the show, which featured an interview with former President Trump, who took a few swipes that an opponent, against whom Spadea is running in the primary.

It is unclear if that falls into the category of advocacy.

Not entirely defined, but not permitted.

The campaign says they will wait to see if anyone files a complaint before they comment any further.

In a letter to commissioners, the opponent said it is unreasonable to suggest allowing Spadea to be on the radio for four hours per day is not providing his candidacy with a contribution.

>> This is a win for Spadea.

This will further position him as the outsider candidate.

This is very much in the Trump model, I am running against the deep state, the administrative state.

They are scared of me.

This allows him to say he stared them down and they didn't shut him down.

>> Spadea announced his candidacy by video and followed it up by a live launch, where he promised to stay on the radio.

>> If we are going to continue to do what I have been doing for nine years, the other guys run for office and they talk action.

They tell you what they will do, what their resume is, then they move on.

If they win, you don't hear from them until they are out for reelection.

If they lose, in some cases they keep running.

Maybe Jack will get it right someday.

Not this time.

>> They seemed to stumble in the assert -- in trying to assert regulatory power.

Spadea's attorney tried commissioners, claiming victory for the candidate and for free speech.

Opponents are left wondering if Spadea is not just getting a lot of speech for free.

Raven: It has been close to three years since hurricane Ida devastated parts of New Jersey, leaving homes flooded and destroyed and families desperate for help.

The desperation persists years later.

Help could be on the way.

Lawmakers in Trenton sent a bill to the Governor's desk that would offer more -- mortgage forbearance.

We spoke to survivors and bill sponsors about how the bill will provide needed relief if signed.

>> Almost three years ago, airports -- airboats did donuts after Ida dropped 8 inches of rain, sending creaks on a rampage, wrecking businesses and homes that hadn't flooded before.

>> I was standing in almost four need of water in my kitchen with appliances plugged in.

>> Ida swamped Colleen's home.

Her family is still paying the mortgage, $2200 per month on top of $2000 per month for an apartment.

She hopes Governor Murphy signs a mortgage and foreclosure rescue bill for Ida survivors across New Jersey because they are desperate.

>> It would be life-changing.

Life-changing.

I will do DoorDash, Instacart, anything I can to make sure I have food >> On the table.

>>The bill offers relief to 2000 survivors by providing one year of mortgage and foreclosure forbearance for people who got federal disaster relief for damage Ida into their homes, who qualify with a household income less than 150% of median earnings for their ZIP Code and who don't have significant savings or cash on hand.

No penalties or interest would accrue.

>> They started the foreclosure proceedings for us.

Hopefully this will put a stop to it.

At this point, we weren't even sure what to do.

>> Stephanie is living with family.

Her home remains 50% destroyed.

The area is so flood prone, the DEP no longer gives grants to elevate houses.

It offered 53 homeowners buyouts and that is what Stephanie hopes to get.

She is urging the governor to sign the bill soon.

>> To have some time I guess to try to figure it out, which hopefully, now we finally can get.

Before, it has been fighting back and forth.

Trying to get through, day today.

>> The governor's Deputy Press Secretary said, we can't comment on pending legislation.

The bill passed the Senate and assembly unanimously.

A senator said they coordinated to craft a compromise measure he hopes the governor will sign.

>> His team has worked with us to better understand how the process with the mortgage forbearance will work.

We believe we have created a template that talks about it, how it can work.

I have taken input from many others, interested parties, bankers associations, to better understand the process.

>> If mission -- Murphy issues the veto, they will strive for another vote the summer.

He notes a similar bill helped Sandy survivors.

For those still dealing with Ida it is unfathomable Murphy would delay signing the bill.

>> If he knows how critical this is and he is not signing it, then I don't know.

That is just cruel.

>> She says every passing week without relief compounds people's suffering.

Brenda Flanagan, NJ Spotlight News.

Raven: What is expected to become New Jersey's offshore wind farm secured a major federal approval.

The Department of the Interior gave the green light the Atlantic Shores South offshore wind energy project that would generate 20 -- 2800 megawatts, enough to power one million homes, built between Atlantic City nine miles from the shore and would include 190 five wind turbine generators.

The news gives a boost to the states plan to reach 100% clean energy by 2035, set off track last fall when the Danish wind development -- developer scrapped their offshore wind project.

Joining us is CEO of Atlantic Shores.

Thank you for joining me.

>> Thanks for having me.

Raven: Let's talk about, what is the significance of today's announcement for the Atlantic Shores project?

>> What we saw today is, we got approval for our first two projects.

This allows us to move forward, keep contracting with contractors and move forward to deliver a clean, renewable power for New Jersey.

Raven: The Orsted project was roughly at the same point in the approval process when the Danish developer pulled the plug last fall.

How is this project different?

>> It is relevant in light of what happened last year.

What you have seen over the last year is that developers in the U.S., we went through this journey last year which started a spiral.

It was the case for Orsted and the case for many other projects.

Would you have no is the first New Jersey project being completely ready for the permitting perspective.

It is good news.

It means wind projects in New Jersey are being able to move forward and can succeed.

Raven: Let's talk about the significance of a timeline.

What is the timeline for when we could see turbines in the water off the coast and when we could see the wind power, shore?

-- come on shore.

>> These are multiyear projects.

We submitted permits that came through today, about three and a half years ago.

It means by the end of the year, we are now finally shovel ready for project one and project two.

Construction can start in earnest.

That is not offshore construction, it starts with manufacturing components on shore and transitions to offshore construction around 2026, 2027 with the majority of turbines being installed in 2028.

It will not be before 2029 when you see offshore wind renewable power flowing to the state of New Jersey, but that is the nature of these projects.

We are talking multibillion-dollar construction projects that take years to develop and construct.

Raven: When you have a lot of support, sometimes there is pushback.

Some beach communities criticized the project because it is less than nine miles from shore and will be visible from the shore, possibly impacting tourism, which is critical in Jersey.

Others are concerned about the effect on marine life.

What is your response to those concerns?

>> Everything that gets developed at scale needs to be done in a responsible matter.

We have done 40 surveys to get the permits over the course of many years, including studies that took years of data collection.

I think there is genuine concerns.

We need to make sure the RightFax are shared and Atlantic Shores will play a role in making sure communities, not just beach communities but all communities, get updates on the project.

We have always been transparent.

The facts matter.

Along the East Coast in the U.S. , there is construction on multiple sites.

In the U.S., you don't need to look at Europe or other countries far away, you can go here.

you will see the construction of offshore wind can be done in a very safe manner and Atlantic Shores is a responsible developer.

We look forward to the start of the construction phase.

Raven: I couldn't agree more.

Facts and transparency matter.

Thank you for joining me.

>> Pleasure to be here.

Thanks for having me.

Raven: New Jersey has worked for years to improve maternal health outcomes.

The state has the fourth highest maternal mortality rate in the country and those outcomes are even worse for black women in New Jersey.

One of the hardest issues to during pregnancy is addiction, as many patients deal with stigma, feelings of guilt, and doctors who aren't trained to treat it in pregnant women.

In part one of a two part report, Joanna Gagis speaks to doctors and specialists about the gap in treatment for pregnant women and the support available.

>> I can't think of a more stigmatized population than pregnant people using substances.

Joanna: This doctor is one of a small number of medical providers in the state who treats people struggling with addiction during pregnancy and after delivery.

She works with the program at Cooper University Hospital in Camden County.

>> We have many images of what a parent or a mother is supposed to look like.

regardless of the intentions of I'm sure very well-intentioned clinicians, lots of people don't know what to do clinically in this scenario.

Joanna: It is not knowing, among other systemic problems, that makes addiction during and after pregnancy the number one leading cause of maternal death in the state.

>> It was 58% of pregnancy related deaths, so that is the single greatest contributor to death in pregnancy and related to pregnancy, within the first year of postpartum.

Joanna: It is a startling number, given all the state has been doing to reduce maternal and infant deaths.

Why is this population vulnerable?

New Jersey's Commissioner of the Department of Health worked as an addiction clinician.

Before stepping into this role.

She has seen firsthand how health care systems in the state are not set up to care for this population.

Joanna: They get turned away.

Providers don't necessarily know how to treat people in pregnancy.

They get turned away from inpatient.

If they go to list -- detox they may get turned away because they say you are pregnant, we can't treat you.

>> Emergency rooms get all of these people in all the time and they don't know what to do.

They can keep them because -- can't keep them because their problems are not at the level of hospital intervention but they don't have a discharge plan.

>> This doctor is the medical director at the Center for great expectations in Somerset that treats addicted women from the prenatal stage through six years postpartum.

>> Most of the discharges that come into the emergency room leave to a homeless shelter.

We need more opportunities to intervene in the process, where more organizations that can do something are tapped to do something.

>> Without a specialized program, the average office doesn't have all of the resources necessary to help support these patients who have such complex psychosocial needs.

>> Yet so many OB/GYN's don't know where to refer pregnant women who come to their door.

>> With our organization, the vast majority of adolescents that could use our services or adult women could use the residential services have no idea we exist.

Joanna: When they aren't referred to places set up for the unique care, they are met with stigma that adds to the trauma they are experiencing.

>> Whether that is not having the withdrawal well-controlled and feeling sick in the emergency room, whether that be having their belongings searched and feeling stigmatized or feeling like their illness, they were blamed for their addiction, rather than it being acknowledged as an illness that they didn't choose to have.

Joanna: They are often met with misinformation especially when it comes to medication and pregnancy.

>> They may feel stigmatized for the medication they are on, like methadone and morphine.

They may have been told their baby will be born addicted to those medications and they are a bad mother.

>> Medications to treat opioid use disorder are safe in pregnancy and they approved -- improve outcomes for the mother and the infant.

Joanna: The doctor would like the state to require physicians to take a refresher course that includes addiction and mental health care training.

In our next piece we will take a look at recovery and support programs that are making a difference and are reversing maternal deaths in the state.

I'm Joanna Gagis.

>> Support for the medical report is provided by Verizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey.

-- Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey.

Raven: Give protections for workers across the country.

The Biden administration proposed sweeping first in the nation standards to protect 36 million workers from extreme heat.

If the rules are adopted, employers would be mandated to give workers access to shade and water as well as time to rest.

Companies would be required to create heat illness response plans and treat workers on -- train workers on implementing the programs.

New Jersey lawmakers are considering a bill to create similar protections as well.

Also this week, new federal overtime rules have gone into effect.

Up until this week, workers needed to earn $35,000 or less to be eligible for guaranteed overtime pay beyond a 40 hour work week.

The threshold has risen to close to $44,000 and it will increase again to nearly $60,000 in January.

The U.S. Department of Labor says the new rule will help millions of workers nationwide.

On Wall Street, stocks inched upwards after the Fed noted progress on battling inflation.

Here is how the trading day ended.

♪ >> Support for the business report is provided by NJMEP, a partner to New Jersey's manufacturing industry focused on productivity, performance and strategic development.

More at njmep.org.

♪ Raven: A unique project is enhancing New Jersey's oyster reefs through help from local restaurants.

The Department of educational protection program recycles seafood shells and use them to improve the quality of the water in the Mullica River near Atlantic City.

Ted Goldberg got to follow experts to see how it works.

>> There is something satisfying about emptying the barge and having well over 100 tons of oysters put in the water body.

Ted: The DEP is using recycled shells to boost the oyster population in the Mullica River.

Shellacking this pile of shells is satisfying to watch and the commissioner says the river is a better place for them than the trash.

>> Rather than take the waste, deposit in the landfill, we have 14 remaining operating landfills in New Jersey.

We are avoiding the waste product, which helps reduce our carbon emissions.

Raven: Ted: L 11 restaurants are contributing left of her shells including more than half of ACs casinos.

The hope is to give oysters better conditions to grow and reap the benefits they provide.

>> Purifying the water flowing through the river or estuary.

They help oyster reefs help reduce erosion.

>> Providing habitat space for fish, filtering the water, keeping it clean or and creating fishing opportunities.

So there is lots of opportunity.

Ted: You can't just toss your leftovers into the water and call yourself an environmentalist.

Before the shells are placed, they have to sit in the sun for six months to get clean.

That makes it easier for baby oysters to settle in two weeks after they are born.

>> Clean shells provide substrate.

Shells degrade over time, and can get encrusted by other organisms.

Leaving less available real estate for oysters.

Ted: Early returns look promising.

>> These are the results.

A bunch of juvenile oysters in the shell.

That is why we are out here to do it again.

Ted: If you're wondering how many shells have been saved, the answer is a lot.

>> 40 tons last year at the docks and about half that at knife and fork.

Ted: The DEP planted 150 tons of shells last year and they expect the program to ramp up now than of million-dollar grant from NOAA is coming.

The program is easy to follow.

Separate shells from the rest of the garbage.

>> It is a great way to give back.

We want to make sure there are lots of oysters to go around.

It is working and it is nice to get the shells out of our landfills and back to helping the program.

>> I volunteered to be part of a food waste program with an MGM because we are looking for better sourcing for sustainability.

We are in the process of calculating how much food we produce versus how much we put out, to really try to calculate and put less food in the trash.

Ted: The only way to support the program is to eat at these restaurants.

That will change.

Public garbage cans for collecting shells should become available in the future.

For anyone hoping to turn culinary trash into environmental treasure.

On the Mullica River, Ted Goldberg, NJ Spotlight News.

Raven: That does it for us.

A reminder to download the NJ Spotlight News podcast so you can listen to us anytime.

For the entire team at NJ Spotlight News, have a great night and we will see you back here tomorrow.

>> New Jersey education Association.

Making public schools great for every child.

RWJ Barnabas health.

Let's be healthy together.

New Jersey realtors, the voice of real estate in New Jersey.

>> have some water.

Look at these kids.

What do you see?

I see myself.

I became an ESL teacher to give my students what I wanted when I came to this country.

The opportunity to learn, to dream, to achieve, a chance to be known and to be an American.

My name is Julia and I am proud to be an NJEA member.

♪