Briana: Tonight on NJ Spotlight News.

Deadly mass shootings, tragedy strikes as the holiday as marred by a dozen mass shootings.

Communities grapple with the attacks.

Also, game on.

New Jersey lawmakers makers extend online gaming until 2028.

The industry continues bringing big revenue.

>> We are going to keep fighting to make sure those casinos are on solid economic footing.

Briana: Bracing for a culture war.

The conservative group Moms for Liberty is expanding influence over local school board races, setting up the political class.

>> We are going to see them using money and endorsements into state and local education races.

Briana: Unionizing the industry, cannabis dispensary employees push to unionize, calling for better pay, health benefits and fair treatment.

>> We want certain rights, wages and want to be able to build upon that so that in 10 years, we actually have a career.

Briana: NJ Spotlight News starts right now.

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More information is online at NJrealtor.com.

And By the PSEG foundation.

♪ >> From NJ PBS, this is NJ Spotlight News with Briana Vanozzi.

Briana: Good evening, thanks for joining us I'm Briana Vanozzi.

,Gun violence overshadowed many of the July 4 celebrations this week as a rash of a mass shootings erupted throughout the nation, including our area.

In Philadelphia, an assailant rest in a bulletproof vest used an assault will to go on a shooting spree that killed five people and wounded two children.

Firing shots on an open street, wreaking terror on the neighborhood.

A 13-year-old and two-year-old twins are among the injured.

Authorities have charged the government with five counts of murder.

The shooting is one of at least 348 incidents across the U.S. this year.

In New Jersey, five people were shot in Patterson, two of them fatally wounded early this morning.

The victims were both from the city.

They were identified as a 17-year-old and 26-year-old.

Authorities say the shooting is still under investigation.

Among the injured were young adults between 19 and 24 years old.

In as very part, three men were shot, one was killed outside an apartment.

The tragic events are renewing pleas for gun law reforms by local state and federal leaders.

Experts say gun violence needs to be treated as a public health issue.

>> Criminologists have known that during the summer months we see an uptick of violent crime, much of it has to do with the weather.

You have more people who are outside, which creates the likelihood for conflict.

Which is what we have seen in these recent incidents of mass shootings.

We have known that for some time.

Now the onus is on state legislatures, federal Congress to enact laws to address it.

Briana: People flock to the Atlantic City Boardwalk and casinos, but Internet ambling has become the real driver for the state gambling industry.

Governor Murphy signed a law extending online gaming for another five years, but it was after back-and-forth in the legislature.

It changed the extension from 10 years, down to two, and landing at five years, for reasons no one understands.

>> Keeping the lights on in Atlantic City.

Reporter: Former assemblyman Ralph Caputo, one of the driving forces behind online gaming in New Jersey, who sponsored the original online gaming authorization bill a decade ago, says thank goodness online gaming.

Because it saved the casino industry from catastrophe during Covid.

>> If you look at the numbers in Atlantic City, Internet gaming and sports betting, about 40% of the revenue.

>> They have rebounded from Covid.

But are still not at pre-pandemic levels.

The foot traffic going into the casinos, gambling, buying drinks, going to restaurants, it is close but not there.

Reporter: It seemed like a note Rainer that up till two we authorize online gaming would sail through legislature.

Except like a lot of what happened in the final days of the session, it got messed up.

>> It passed the assembly's first committee with no issue.

And then hit a speed bump where the assembly decided to amend the 10 year reauthorization window to a Reporter: Reporter: Two-year window.

Nobody knows or admits to knowing why the window went from 10 years to two years.

Which led to speculation, is the speaker trying to send a message?

What with the message be?

Or is the mayor flexing muscle and the ongoing battle with casinos over annual payments and taxes.

He did not answer our calls.

Maybe there was concern over the increase in online gaming addictions.

Two bills dealing with that are currently languishing in committee and the legislature.

She says whatever the reason, the numbers do not lie.

>> Prior to 20, Internet gaming generated less than $5 million per year.

When the pandemic hit, it jumped to $970 million, ever since then it has been over $1 billion.

Reporter: The casinos are facing increased pressure from Pennsylvania and New York.

The former AC Mayor says he is glad the industry will get five years, while the city tries to rebrand as more than just a place to gamble.

>> Casinos in New York City are going to hurt Atlantic City, and Atlantic City is going to do the best they can.

You will see continued renovations, new restaurants, and entertainment.

You can see the indoor waterpark that is being built.

They are going to do their best to meet the concerns.

>> Investors are wondering why they should invest in Atlantic City.

It does not make sense.

Reporter: If it ain't broke, don't fix it says Ralph Caputo.

Nothing is broke until lawmakers try to fix it.

Briana: Mixed news today on the state judicial vacancy crisis, there are enough judges to resume civil and trim O'Neill cases in three South Jersey counties where they have been on pause since February.

The trials will get back on the docket for Cumberland, Gloucester and Salem counties.

Trials will stay on hold in three other counties.

The number of vacancies on the bench in Somerset, hundred 10, and Warren remain the same.

It is not looking good for Passaic County.

The court system has been operating with an average of more than 60 vacancies for the past three years.

The number is now down to 53 thanks to recent judicial confirmations.

The Senate president says he will call hearings to get more judges on the bench.

This certainly is not going to help the vacancy situation.

Racy TikTok videos could cause a state superior court judge his job.

This Bergen County judge is under investigation for making dozens of TikTok videos that show him lip-synching to songs containing profanity, sexual references and racist firms.

According to a complaint, the videos were posted under an alias.

In sum, Wilcoxon wore his judicial robes.

Others were posted from the courthouse and at least one was for corded -- was recorded from bed.

And to me for Wilcox says they are preparing to file a response to the complaint but doesn't think anyone will believe there was a desire to do harm in making the videos.

Just days ago the conservative group Moms for Liberty held a summit in Philadelphia with speakers ranging from former to Fullerton Governor -- Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.

The group wants to flip school boards and elect far right candidates.

One it launched, Moms for Liberty was billed as a grassroots organization but they have become eight national player in Republican politics.

Act by big money and connections within the GOP.

AP reporter covered the summit and says the group is setting up for a political clash.

Welcome to the show.

Your reporting on moms for liberty is interesting because it talks about this broader picture, which is what the co-founder said they were going for.

What is their brand plan?

What are their sights set on?

>> Moms for liberty has spent the last two years targeting school board races and inflaming school board meetings.

Looking ahead, it plans to expand that effort and use its PAC to get involved in state-level education races, state Board of Education, state superintendent.

Briana: How successful have they been in getting there candidates elected?

>> The group has had mixed success.

In 2020 two it endorsed 500 candidates and got over half of those elected.

Earlier this year in Wisconsin we saw that under a third of its endorsed candidates were elected.

Briana: We have seen them become our national player on the main stage within the Republican party, what type of connections do they have and have to get access to candidates for the school board elections?

>> Moms for Liberty has very close connections within the Republican Party, both conservative organizations and lawmakers.

It is connected with a few organizations, including the training organization, the leadership Institute, the conservative Heritage foundation .

It is aligned with Republican lawmakers, including Ron DeSantis.

Briana: I in guessing that gives them access to big donors.

>> Absolutely, we have seen they have limited visibility on their donors.

They do not have to disclose their funders.

We did see that a major conservative donor did contribute to the political action committee, someone whose family owns publix and helped fund the stop the steel rally on January 6.

Briana: Why do they start with school boards?

They have become contentious, and some of the biggest clashes in New Jersey, where you have such strong divide between far left and far right.

Why start there?

>> Moms for liberty is focused on parental rights in education.

They want parents to direct the right -- the education of their children.

The best way to make an impact is in the school board.

Disputing certain things your kids are learning, arguing that policy related to masking or transgender accommodations should be different.

They have been able to make some changes on the local level.

Briana: What type of role do you see this group playing in the 2024 election and the state and national level?

>> We are seeing Republican candidates for the presidency are interested in courting Moms for Liberty.

Five presidential candidates came out to the groups summit over the weekend.

They are an important constituency.

On the state and local level, we are going to see Moms for Liberty funneling money and endorsements into state and local education races to influence education infrastructure.

Briana: Thank you so much.

A possible prisoner exchange is in the works between the U.S. and Russia.

A Kremlin spokesperson confirmed Russia has had contacts with U.S. officials over jailed L Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich.

The news came a day after the U.S. ambassador to Russia was allowed to meet with him for the second time since he was detained on March.

That followed weeks of repeated requests to visit.

The American citizen was arrested by Russia while on a reporting trip, and accused of espionage.

A charge Evan Gershkovich, the U.S. government vehemently denied.

The years long struggle between breweries and the state of may finally be over.

Lawmakers on Friday or approve a bill overturning restrictions that have been on the craft breweries, but owners say they are stuck in limbo because Governor Murphy has not signed it.

>> We do not trust it now.

You have to have trust.

Reporter: Mike Jones owns this a brewing Company.

The assembly unanimously passed a bill to free New Jersey's Paris industry from onerous limits on events and food service.

The legislation remains unsigned by the governor, leaving breweries unsure.

>> It is like they don't want to sign it and give us those rights.

When we plan our businesses, we need to know what we are able to do.

We are on a roller coaster that we want to get off.

Reporter: How sure are you that he is going to sign the bill?

>> I'm not sure at all, I am not sure.

Reporter: He says his industry struggled founder restrictions that prohibited or can with food vendors, and restricted the number of on-site events from parties to holiday celebrations.

They lobbied for privileges Drew Brees in neighboring states and joy.

>> The bill did not do a ton, we got the food trucks, I want to have live music, support the local artists.

Reporter: New Jersey breweries continue those extractions -- those restrictions.

They recognize the pending legislation and promised hands off enforcement, but should the status of the legislation change before hand, the division will conform its policies to the law.

Without his action, the bill expires.

>> We don't know how to take the next ups.

-- steps.

>> We can't live by this lets see what happens in six months thing.

>> Restaurant and industry lobbyists had originally opposed to letting breweries expand their food and event options, they considered it unfair competition because breweries don't have to pour money into expensive liquor licenses.

That is were politics reenters the mix.

Governor Murphy looking to reform New Jersey's liquor license laws.

But that political battle is ongoing and uphill.

>> We have until January, the governor's office is supportive, but they want further liquor license performance.

They want to negotiate with the Senate.

Reporter: Breweries do not want to be a bargaining chip.

>> The longer this goes, the more likely we are to become a pond in the negotiations.

I have been telling our folks, we have become a hostage.

I don't want to graduate to a sacrificial lamb.

Reporter: He says one half dozen breweries closed last year.

The governor's office had no comment.

Briana: Offshore wind development -- developer Orsted is said to get a financial boost once Governor Murphy signs a bill that would give the company money in federal tax credits.

Another energy company is calling for a cash infusion of its own.

Developer Atlantic Shores says it's wind project, set to be the state's largest, will be at risk if they don't get their own incentives.

When companies .2 pricing costs, putting their projects in jeopardy.

Lawmakers passed a controversial bill to the offshore developer Orsted keep the tax credits to pay for its ocean wind one project.

The money was originally supposed to benefit utility customers who would be paying higher rates to fund offshore wind element.

The bill only benefits Orsted.

Officials from Atlantic Shores says the administration should work on and solution -- work on a solution.

Orsted is an underwriter of "NJ Spotlight News".

More workers in the cannabis industry argued in icing.

Organizers are hoping to keep the trend going.

It is not always an easy road.

>> We went from being at the mercy and discussion of our employer to taking the workplace into our own hands.

Reporter: A good feeling for this budtender.

He was instrumental in helping boys concerns as part of the local union.

In June, the members of United Food and commercials union 152 negotiated a three year agreement calling for increased pay and better health benefits.

>> We are a union of workers, we want certain rights, wages, and we want to build upon it so in 10 years, people are looking back, we actually have a career.

It is not just like a job that we come in and out of.

Reporter: This comes as more workers in the cannabis industry Porsche -- push to be unionized.

>> There is always a concern that when you organize labor, and you have unions in the workplace, that the cost of doing business is going to increase.

That has always been a concern of businesses, not just in New Jersey, but across the country.

When you look at that and the new businesses, I don't think there is a better way of making sure you create standards by which employees should be treated.

Reporter: CuraLeaf, the states largest supplier, now has unions in all of its storms.

These members just voted for unionization two months after the Cannabis Regulatory Commission rejected CuraLeaf's request to renew its recreational marijuana license.

Just days later, they reversed their decision.

>> All three CuraLeaf are represented by a union.

It is a long path, at the end of the day the workers have to want it.

They have to look at themselves and say, I am worth a good wage, good benefits.

We are just here to help them get to the end goal.

Reporter: A CuraLeaf spokesperson says they respect the rights of coworkers choosing to be a union.

They are currently engaged in good faith bargaining with the union for collective darkening agreement to represent the team members at those three dispensary locations.

>> It is hard to say you can commit to a 30 year work age, if you work in a right to work state, it basically means that at any time you can be let go.

Making a financial commitment, you can't rely on the stability that the -- is present.

Unionization provides the comfort and access that allows you to make decisions, relieve the stress, you are unsure of your charge.

-- of your job.

Briana: Wall Street resumed after a shortened holiday week, and is reacting to minutes from today's Federal Reserve eating.

Here is how stocks closed.

-- reserve meeting.

Here is how stocks closed.

That is going to do it for us tonight.

A reminder to download the NJ Spotlight news podcast, so you can listen anytime.

I'm Briana Vanozzi, from the entire NJ Spotlight News team, thanks for being with us.

Have a great evening We will see , you tomorrow.

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