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♪ Raven: Tonight on NJ Spotlight News, after eight weeks of testimony, closing arguments in the corruption trial against U.S.

Senator Bob Menendez are underway.

Also, campaign concerns.

Fallout continues after President Joe Biden's dismal presidential debate performance.

Are New Jersey's and leaders still backing his reelection run?

>> President Biden has remained defiant.

But a different picture when talking about the voters on the mass public.

Raven: Plus, cap intuitions of the local schools.

State lawmakers introduced legislation to rein in rising costs.

But will the Bill Move Forward?

>> there needs to be some form of a check on the University to ensure there is a good just the raising of tuition.

Raven: And several new school districts implement policies to restrict for news on school grounds to curb learning distractions and online bullying.

She is a cell phone is a privilege to be able to bring it to the school and use it.

It is not something that is necessary.

Raven: NJ Spotlight News begins right now.

♪ ANNOUNCER: From NJPBS Studios, this is "NJ Spotlight News" with Brianna Vannozzi.

Raven: Hello and thanks for joining us.

I am Joanna Gagis.

Briana Vannozzi is off tonight.

It's the beginning of the end in the long trial of the Senator Bob Menendez.

Earlier today the defense for codefendant will have not wrapped up their case bringing forward the last witness in the trial, an Egyptian man with ties to the meat company that's at the heart of the case.

And then came the closing arguments.

The prosecution starting their some nation this afternoon.

But they prepared five hours of closing arguments that will continue into Tuesday.

Senior correspondent Brenda Flanagan has been in the court house all day, and easier to explain what has already been presented in the prosecution's closing statements, plus what we can expect tomorrow.

Brenda, good to see you.

What did you hear today?

Reporter: hay.

The position opened fire with both barrels today in the very forceful submission.

I got part way through it, Assistant U.S. attorney reminding the jury about all the gold bars and cash that FBI agents seized at the Menendez home, saying: "Menendez sold the power of his office.

You saw again and again a clear pattern of corruption."

Now the defense has said that the senator's wife Nadine focused it on of this.

But the prosecution argued, "you don't get to be the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee by being clueless."

He argued, quote, "Menendez was in charge.

His wife Nadine was his go-between, always keeping him informed."

He started going through each count, citing evidence.

He said, this is a lot of evidence, a lot of can'ts but it was a year-long scheme.

Joanna: So how long could all of these closing arguments in total take?

Reporter: An incredibly long time.

The prosecution estimated, as you said, that submission would take five hours and they would finish up tomorrow morning and the defense could go on through Tuesday, through Wednesday, and they are, remember, there are two other codefendants in the face, not just Bob Menendez.

Now the senator's team will argue that there was no quid pro quo approved.

But the government today argued that just the promise to act with corrupt interns is enough, and they print pointed to the evidence that said, when Menendez knew there was money on the line, he sprang into action.

We hear more about tomorrow, for sure.

Joanna: Joanna: Yes, for sure, we are.

We know that Jerry has been taking all of this in.

When do they take over the case, what happens with them?

Brenda: After her summations, the judge is going to charge the jury.

He has 100 biggest Judge Sidney Stein is going to do that very carefully.

Estimated variations should take , as he put it, a couple of days.

If they begin deliberations Thursday morning, we might get a verdict on Friday.

They are 18 counts to consider, 16 from Menendez, 64 will Hannah and six for Fred Daibes.

Joanna: An interesting point a lot of people may not realize when going back to the arguments, the prosecution gets another stab at this after the defense goes, help us understand that.

Brenda: That's because the prosecution carries the burden of and so the way this is really good to set up by law, after the defense finishes setting up the sounds of testimony, the prosecution gets a chance to give him a bottle and that is expected to last only about a half an hour.

Joanna: As it has all played out, interesting to remember that the senator is still potentially running for reelection.

Brenda: He has files to run as an independent.

We will see what happens given the outcome of this jury verdict.

Joanna: Which could be this week.

Senior correspondent Brenda Flanagan, thank you.

Will he or won't he stay in the race, that is a question plaguing Democrats and President Joe Biden as poll numbers continued to signal a lack of confidence in the President >>'s abilities to finish the race for reelection and beat former President Trump and several high-ranking Democrats are now calling from Mr. Biden: to step aside, but yet he remains defiant.

Senior correspondent David Cruz gets reduction from political analysts here in New Jersey.

>> I really don't know what he said at the end of that sentence.

I don't think he knows what he said either.

David: You could have really turned your sets off right there.

And many Democrats did.

Dear Key West fears, an impaired commander-in-chief performing so poorly that even Trump's most flagrant falsehoods slipped through the grasp of the sometimes bewildered moderators.

>> It was bad.

It was painful.

I had to walk out for part of it and listen to because I couldn't watch.

It was awful.

It wasn't awful is absolutely deceiving themselves in you in ways that I think are unhelpful to both President Biden and to the Democratic Party.

DAVID: This Democratic star just was trying to be generous.

She is Mr. Biden: fan from way back and calls him the most successful president of her lifetime.

But she is like a lot of Democrats seem shocked at what appeared to be the President's ship the debate and even in the subsequent interviews in BC news.

She says someone has got to change the narrative surrounding the President Xi post campaign click >> I hope it is Jill Biden from that I love him.

He has been the most successful president.

But if he can't do it, he has to look in the mirror and say "I need to step aside because there are things in this life that are more important than personal ego.

Personal ambition.

DAVID: It was that kind of talk the president was trying to squelch today and another to father Democrats, saying he was firmly committed to staying in the race and that they should buck up and buckle up.

Democratic strategist James agrees, saying Biden has been counted out before.

>> I have a weird take on this, right, so my worst fear is that Trump is not the candidate.

I believe Joe Biden can beat Trump.

And my worst fear is that something happens and Trump is not available.

Because I am not sure Biden can beat anybody else.

But I know you can beat Trump.

So in a weird way I am thinking, maybe Biden did this as a Jedi mind trick.

DAVID: That would be some 3D chess, but it's more likely that Democrats and the rest of the country can expect Biden to have some good days, and some bad days.

But voters, the very small percentage of them haven't already made up their minds, have expressed their concerns about Biden before, sense of this.

>> two very different sides of the story between the media and what the polls say versus what the administration is saying.

President Biden hessedal he remained defiant that he will remain in the race, he has talked to Democrats encompass and written a letter to them.

But it's a very different picture when talking about the voters in the mass public and those who are up for election and the fall are concerned of how that's going to affect them down-ballot.

David: And many Democrats in New Jersey City to their bottom line if Biden can't turn it around, is preserving the key Senate and House seats.

Meanwhile, Biden will be in Italy for the G7 summit.

Hoping that fellow Democrats will hold their fire while he's on the world stage.

But it's still unclear if when he gets back, he will face a party if I'm behind him, or unified into your team believes that it's time for someone else.

I am David Cruz, NJ Spotlight News.

Joanna: COVID is on the rise in our area.

New Jersey is showing numbers nearly double what they were in early June.

And New York City's rates have risen by about 250% from the two months prior.

The numbers are still low compared to P, Outbreak numbers, but the new variants, conflict variants, have sound of unity.

We have the other just here to explain what to look for in terms of symptoms and what to do if you find yourself the this summer.

These new variants seem to evade immunity.

What should people look for if they think they might be infected?

GUEST: Unfortunately, they are broad, it could be a runny nose, fatigue, cough, chills, but something will have none of those symptoms and they are experiencing things like nausea, vomiting and diarrhea without the other symptoms.

So if you are feeling sick and have a fever, you should test yourself to see if you are able to stay home.

Joanna: In the more severe cases, do still see that symptoms are mild or than what they were?

GUEST: Thankfully the FLiRT Variant is a subvariant of Omicron.

For some milder illness is much more transmissible.

Joanna: So what should folks do if they have been affected.

We know that guidelines have slowly been relapsed?

What is the latest guidelines?

GUEST: The latest status is to stay home until your symptoms subside, stay home until you are fever free for 24 hours, and the recommendation is that you should continue to wear a mask for five days after you have been released back out into the wild.

Joanna: Who is most vulnerable at this point, who should be looking out for?

GUEST: As usual, anybody who is 65 or older who has a comorbidity will be at greatest risk of ending up in the hospital and that is what we see.

Rates are up but largely from people who are over 65 or who otherwise are autoimmune.

Joanna: Should they be masking?

Is there guidance around masking in general?

GUEST: The recommendation is always been the case numbers go up, people shouldn't wear masks especially if you think you are symptomatic.

Masks are the best in preventing transmission from somebody who is sick to somebody who's not, so the key is to be mindful of in your community.

If you are sick and can't stay home, wear your mask.

Joanna: Switching gears, I have to ask you about avian flu.

We see that our four cases in humans right now from the avian flu that spread from birds out to mammals, we see this outbreak in dairy cows.

Moderna was just approved.

A vaccine for the Darlie at a point now that humans need to be concerned about the impact on them?

GUEST: Right now we're seeing that all the human cases are people who have worked with birds or cows.

We haven't seen mutation from human to human transmission.

That said, we know that viruses mutate.

That's how they survive.

And so we need to keep careful surveillance of what's happening and try to contain those cases as much as we can.

So that the virus doesn't have an opportunity to mutate to spread amongst humans easily.

Joanna: What do we know about Moderna's vaccine?

Where is it in the approval process and the creation process?

GUEST: They are still working through the process, I believe they are looking at human trials now.

I don't expect it delete within the next few weeks, but most likely by the end of the year.

Joanna: We don't want to be alarmist, do we need to worry when going to the grocery store?

GUEST: Now, our produce and livestock are tested regularly in the United States which is wonderful.

But one thing I will say if you are somebody who wants to drink raw milk, this is not the time to do that.

Pasteurization kills the H5N1 virus so as long as you are drinking pasteurized milk, the rest of the food supply is safe.

Joanna: Stephanie, great advice as always, thank you.

ANNOUNCER: Support for the medical report is provided by Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey.

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Joanna: While many of us more celebrating the July 4th holiday.

Some fireworks gone wrong set up a massive wildfire in the Wharton State Forest near Tabernacle Township in Burlington County.

It's been named the Teatime Hill wildfire by state officials and the blaze, which was started on Friday, has burned through 4000 acres of the pylons forest despite firefighters working throughout the weekend to put out the flames.

As of the latest update this afternoon, the fire is 75% contained and the good news is no buildings are in danger according to the State Forest fire service although a nearby campground had to be located in several roads and nearby trails have been close.

They say nothing is certain except death and taxes.

You can add the cost of college tuition going up to that list.

It seems to be on a steady rise in, especially over the last few years as inflation has increased and many schools are passing the added costs to their students.

To do the Rutgers Board of Governors approved a 4% increase on tuition and fees for students attending in September.

But some New Jersey lawmakers are considering a new bill that would cap those increases at 2% moving forward.

Ted Goldberg spoke to the build's sponsors along with advocates of the move to see what it would mean, and who is on board.

Reporter: The records budget for next year has been approved and totals 5.6 million dollars.

That means students will pay four percent more in tuition and student fees, with larger increases for roaming and food.

>> we need to do things better and differently as we progress towards financial sustainability.

This budget represents the early starting position for that.

>> it is saddening.

It closes the door to thousands of students who have said, you know, may be overlooking the Rutgers University, and suddenly Rutgers University is outside of that pay.

Reporter: this comes after a 6% increase in tuition fees last year.

According to Rutgers, the new 4% bump is needed to account for inflation, salary increases, and more expensive health benefits.

Student body president Jack Ramirez says he was disappointed to learn about the unanimous vote from the Rutgers Board of Governors.

>> everyone deserves a fair pay and fair wage for the work that they do.

But it brings up the question of, what is the University designed for?

It's designed for students.

Reporter: A new bill in the assembly could cap tuition hikes year-over-year.

Assemblyman Cody Miller has cosponsored a bill that would limit public schools to the 2% increases.

>> I get student requests all the time about not being able to of board books or tuition, students living in cars.

Reporter: Without the bill, he says the future of public schools in New Jersey looks bleak.

>> We are going to see more closures and mergers of these four-year institutions and possibly two years.

>> If tuition keeps increasing, they will be higher chances of students dropping out because they are already struggling.

Reporter: She is a junior at Rowan University.

She says things have gotten more expensive in the few years she has been a student and this bill would be a welcome relief.

>> That is already a difference between freshman year and what we were paying and junior year.

I can't depend on my parents to all those kind of self-report that they still have their own type of personal bills and school is already expensive.

I am the youngest of five.

Reporter: Public college representatives argue a 2% cap could force schools to make painful cuts.

>> may see a reduction in the amount of support services or reducing down how frequently we even offer a course.

Those are things that they have to weigh individual to their campuses.

Reporter: Jennifer Maloney leads the New Jersey Association of State Colleges and universities.

>> Quality cannot be diminished.

So, ultimately, if you are going to have a cop, then additional funding has to come from somewhere.

Reporter: She says, more state funding could help.

But what about making up the difference with the room and board?

Assemblyman mother doesn't.

>> Anticipate that room and board in some instances is outside the cost of the institution because they partner with private institutions where they rent housing from them, so I don't think they are going to jack up the costs on room and board because some of those costs are out of their control.

I don't want to limit them on that because they don't have any control over that.

Reporter: He says the new state budget avoids cuts for schools statewide, but that may not be enough was close to function as they have without more cuts, or different sources of funding.

For NJSpotlightNews, I am Ted Goldberg.

Joanna: Social media inside schools can be a dangerous mix, with online bullying extending into the hallways and beyond.

And in the classroom, nearly 3/4 of teachers say phones are a major distraction for learning.

In New Jersey, some school districts are trying to limit that impact, and improve student mental health by restricting phone use on school grounds.

Middletown is the latest district to do so.

Two years after one of its students died by suicide as a result of online bullying.

Raven Santana spoke to one of the school leaders about their plans to restrict phone use.

>> a cell phone is a privilege to be able to bring it to the school and use it.

.

It's not something that is necessary for the school day to accomplish what you need to accomplish in school.

So you can bring it, so long as you respect to the policy.

Reporter: Kate Farley says that will be the motto in that little town school district if the no cell phone policy she spearheaded gets approved.

She is a parent and board member of the Middletown Board of Education, and says the new policy, called "away from the day," is more of a break rather than a ban and is aimed at reducing classroom distractions and bullying.

>> It would be at elementary and high school level -- elementary and middle school level that the phone is away.

In high school, doing academic time, educational time.

So all classes, including specials gym time, things like , that, they shouldn't be taking the cell phones into the bathrooms.

But they would be able to sort of access them in the house during passing time and during lunch.

Reporter: According to a new Pew Research Center survey conducted in 2023, high school teachers are especially likely to see cell phones as problematic.

About 72% say that students being distracted by cell phones is a major problem in the classroom, compared with 33% of middle school teachers, and 6% of elementary school teachers.

>> We reviewed bullying reports every month, and the phones are being used.

It's a lot of online activity that happens both during the school day and outside the school day that we are still responsible for is a school district.

Reporter: The proposed policy comes after the district was recently sued in May by the family of a teen who died by suicide two years ago.

Middletown is not the only school districts to put the new cell phone policies in place.

Montclair and Lynden are just some Jersey school districts that are using "yonder," a cell phone pouch that students carry with them all day but can't unlock until the end of the day.

>> it has a magnetic lock to it.

Students put it in there and then they have to take the pouch to the magnetic unlocking device that is placed throughout buildings and also in external facilities outside of our district and get the phone out.

Reporter: atia Perkins was an educator for 20 two years before she became the district superintendent a year ago.

She says after a lot of pushback from students Yonder was finally , approved and implemented in 2023 in the district's two middle schools and the high school, after they noticed students becoming more disengaged, distracted and disruptive.

>> cell phones are for communicating, and that doesn't align to meeting the needs of the daily expectations, social emotional and academically.

So is it a liability?

Absolutely.

Reporter: Perkins says the results were dramatic.

>> Discipline infractions decreased.

Student engagement increased.

And that is exactly what we needed.

Reporter: atia says she hopes to see more districts implement some type of policy as it has been a game changer for her district.

Farley says that policy will be voted on during the last meeting on July 30 and fifth past, will be implement it in the home for NJSpotlightNews, I am Raven Santana.

Joanna: In our Spotlight on Business Report New Jersey's , rail system is about to see a massive infusion of cash.

Nearly $7 billion in federal funds coming to the Hudson Tunnel project.

Now those funds will be used for three major projects to build a new double track tunnel between New York and New Jersey to connect the new tunnel to New York Penn Station by building a concrete racing at Hudson Yards and to repair the North River tunnel that was damaged during Superstorm Sandy.

Several New Jersey lawmakers gathered in New York today for the official signing of the funding grant agreement, all of them thanking President Biden for his record $66 billion investment into transportation projects.

The largest Department of Transportation project in history.

Now the funding comes at a time when rail customers have faced major delays and disruptions between New Jersey and New York, but it was be a while before these projects have any impact on commuters.

The new tunnel will not be of service until 2035.

Stuff hit record highs today to start the week.

-- stocks hit record highs today to start the week.

Here is a look at the closing numbers.

♪ That's it for us tonight, but before you go, a quick reminder to download the NJSpotlightNews podcasts so you can listen to us in a time 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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We are proud to be part of New Jersey.

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