>> GOOD EVENING AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

I'M BRIANA VANNOZZI.

IN THE ROUGHLY 16 MONTHS SINCE NEW JERSEY CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK BEGAN, THE STATE WENT FROM BEING AN EARLY HOT SPOT AND HOME TO THE MOST COVID-19 RELATED DEATHS PER CAPITA IN THE COUNTRY TO HAVING AMONG THE HIGHEST VACCINATION RATES IN THE U.S. WITH DAILY CASE COUNTS AT RECORD LOWS.

358 POSITIVE TESTS ARE UP SLIGHTLY AND THREE ADDITION GNAT DEATHS REPORTED TODAY WITH SHY OF 5.1 MILLION PEOPLE THAT LIVE, WORK OR GO TO SCHOOL HERE FULLY VACCINATED AND ABOUT 70% OF THE ADULT POPULATION.

GETTING TO THAT POINT COST THOUSANDS OF LIVES AND DREW CRITICISM OF THE MURPHY ADMINISTRATION STRICT RULES AND BUSINESSES GATHERINGS.

AMONG THE MOST CONTENTIOUS DEBATES STILL CIRCLING WHETHER OR NOT KIDS SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO WEAR MASKS WHEN THEY RETURN TO SCHOOL IN PERSON THIS FALL.

THE CDC TODAY PUNCTUATED THAT WITH NEW GUIDANCE SAYING FULLY VACCINATED STUDENTS CAN GO MASK LESS BUT YOUNGER KIDS WHO HAVE YET TO GET THE SHOTS SHOULD CONTINUE MASKING UP.

WE SPOKE ONE-ON-ONE IN AN EXTENDED INTERVIEW WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH COMMISSIONER JUDY PERSIKELL TODAY ABOUT WHAT THE RULES MEAN FOR THE STATE AND WHETHER SHE PLANS TO STICK AROUND IF MURPHY'S REELECTED.

COMMISSIONER, NEW TODAY THE CDC IS SAYING LISTEN, STUDENTS FULLY VACCINATED AGAINST THE CORONAVIRUS CAN GO MASKLESS IN THE FALL.

WHAT, IF ANYTHING, DOES THAT WHICH I THINK WITH THE STATE'S GUIDANCE?

>> NOT MUCH.

WE EXPECT THE CDC TO COME OUT WITH THE GUIDANCE AND HAVE NOT READ THE FULL GUIDANCE AND WE DO KNOW THAT FULLY VACCINATED INDIVIDUALS ARE PROTECTED AT THIS POINT AGAINST THE VARIANTS THAT WE KNOW ARE CIRCULATING IN PARTICULARLY NEW JERSEY BUT ALSO NATIONALLY.

THE PROTECTIONS ARE OBVIOUSLY WORKING AND THE VACCINES ARE WORKING AND IF FULLY VACCINATED, MASKING IS PROBABLY SOMETHING YOU DON'T NEED AS LONG AS YOU ARE FULLY V VACCINATED WITH INDIVIDUALS SO I LOOK FORWARD TO MAKING THE FULL GUIDANCE.

>> THE CAVEAT IS THAT KIDS WHO ARE 12 AND UNDER ARE NOT YET AUTHORIZED FOR THE VACCINE.

IF IT IS AUTHORIZED BY THE FALL WITH THE STATE CONSIDERING MANDATING VACCINES AS A REQUIREMENT TO ATTEND SCHOOL?

>> I DON'T THINK THE STATE WOULD BE ISSUING MANDATES AND THIS IS ON THIS RIGHT NOW IS MAKING SURE THAT EVERY COUNTY AND EVERY MUNICIPALITY IN THE STATE RIGHT NOW REACHES A HIGH WATER MARK FOR A VACCINATION RATE.

WE'RE NEARING 70% AND HIGHER IN MOST OF OUR AGE GROUPS SO WE'RE GOING DEEP INTO MUNICIPALITIES.

LET'S VACCINATE THOSE THAT ARE ELIGIBLE TO BE VACCINATED SO WHEN WE GET CLOSER AND CLOSER TO A SCHOOL AGED CHIDE, WE CAN GET THEM VACCINATED 12 AND ABOVE AND FOR THOSE UNDER, BE PREPARED FOR VACCINE -- FOR WHEN THOSE VACCINES COME OUT, WHICH WE EXPECT WILL COME OUT EITHER FIRST OR SECOND SEMESTER NEXT YEAR.

>> YEAH, LATER ON THAT TIME LINE LET ME ASK YOU ABOUT THAT AND YOU TOUCHED ON THAT 70% MARKER AND IT'S MOSTLY A MILESTONE FOR THE STATE AND THERE ARE STILL OF COURSE TOWNS WHERE LESS THAN 40% OF ADULTS ARE VACCINATED.

LET ME ASK YOU FIRST ABOUT MASKING AND LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT.

AND WE SPOKE INTO BEING BACK TO WEARING MASKS IN THE FALL ESPECIALLY IN AREAS WHERE VACCINATION RATES ARE LOWER.

DO YOU PREDICT THAT TO BE THE CASE?

>> MY PREDICTION RIGHT NOW IS THAT WE WILL REACH 70% IN EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THOSE MUNICIPALITIES AND WE WORK AGGRESSIVELY EVERY DAY AND I HAVE ASSIGNED COUNTY AND -- I CALL THEM COUNTY AMBASSADORS TO EVERY COUNTY AND IF IT'S A BIGGER COUNTY, THEY HAVE TWO.

THEY HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO MARSHAL AS MANY ASSETS AS THEY NEED AND RESOURCES TO ACCOMPLISH THAT 70%.

>> DO YOU HAVE A TIME LINE FOR WHEN YOU SEE US REACHING THAT?

>> OUR GOAL IS DEFINITELY BOUNTIFUL.

WE'RE BRING OUR ANALYSIS DOWN TO THE LEVEL AND I CAN TELL YOU RIGHT NOW IN ZIP CODES ARE NOT ONLY WHAT THEIR PERCENTAGE OF VACCINATIONS IS AND HOW MUCH MORE DOSES DO WE HAVE TO DELIVER TO REACH THE 70%.

BUT REACH IT AND WE HAVE TO.

IT'S LIFE MORALITY AND MORBIDITY.

>> HOW MUCH COULD THE SPREAD OF THE DELTA VARIANT SET BACK THAT PROGRESS AND YOU'VE NOTED A FEW TIMES RECENTLY THAT OUR NUMBERS AS FAR AS SEQUENCING DELTA HAVE ROUGHLY TRIPLED OVER THE LAST FEW WEEKS.

HOW CONCERNED ARE YOU?

>> WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE DELTA VARIANT BECAUSE WE'VE SEEN IT TRIPLING.

SO WHAT WE HAVE WITH THE DELTA VARIANT INCREASING AND INCREASING MORE QUICKLY THAN THE ALPHA VARIANT AT THIS TIME AND IT'S THROUGHOUT THE STATE AND IT'S HIGHLY TRANSMISSIBLE AND THAT'S THE BAD NEWS AND WE KNOW THAT OUR VACCINES, OUR AVAILABLE VACCINES ARE EFFECTIVE AGAINST SEVERE MARINES WITH NO HOSPITALIZATION AGAINST THE DELTA VARIANT.

THAT'S WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT THAT WE GET AS MANY PEOPLE VACCINATED AS POSSIBLE.

>> GIVEN OUR STANCE HAVING THAT 70% AND OUR REGION AS WELL IN THE NORTHEAST HAVING A HIGHER NUMBER OF VACCINATED RESIDENTS.

DOES THAT PUT US IN A DIFFERENT POSITION THAN WHAT THE NATIONAL CONVERSATION HAS BEEN AT ABOUT FEARS AND CONCERNS HEADING INTO THE FALL.

ARE WE IN A DIFFERENT POSITION.

>> THE MARVINS WE VACCINATE IS A HIGH WATER MARK AS WE STARTED THIS IN DECEMBER.

WE'RE NOT GOING TO STOP AT 70%.

I WANT TO MAKE IT CLEAR.

WE'LL GO ONTO 80 OR 85%.

WE WANT TO GET AS MANY PEOPLE VACCINATED AS POSSIBLE.

>> IT'S BEEN QUITE THE YEAR AND A HALF.

IF THE GOVERNOR'S REELECTED TO A SECOND TERM, ASKS YOU TO STAY ON AS COMMISSIONER AND SURE AS HECK SOUNDS LIKE HE'D LIKE TO KEEP YOU AROUND FOR AS LONG AS YOU'LL STAY, WHAT WILL YOUR ANSWER BE?

>> I THINK HE SAID I ALREADY AGREED TO 20 YEARS SO WE'LL STICK WITH THAT.

I AGREED TO 20 YEARS.

>> HEALTH COMMISSIONER JUDY, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TODAY.

PLEASURE TO SPEAK WITH YOU.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>>> THE HEALTH COMMISSIONER AND INFECTIOUS DISEASE EXPERTS ARE CLOSELY WATCHING THE RAPID SPREAD OF NEW STRAINS OF THE COVID-19 VIRUS AND THE THREAT THEY POSE TO THE STATE'S PROGRESS IN THE PANDEMIC.

DRUG COMPANIES LIKE PFIZER OF A THIRD VACCINE DOSE, A BOOSTER SHOT AND THERE'S CONFLICTING OPINIONS ON WHETHER ONE WILL BE NEEDED AND WHEN?

THEY'LL KEEP UP WITH NEW MUTATIONS OF CONCERN.

SENIOR CORRESPONDENT BRENDA FLANAGAN REPORTS.

>> IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT BOOSTERS PREMATURE, IT DOESN'T HELP WITH VACCINE HESITANCY.

>> FEDERAL HEALTH EXPERTS PUTTING A BREAK ON PFIZER'S CONTENTIONS AND SEEKING A THIRD COVID SHOT A BOOSTER OF THE CURRENT VACCINE TO BE GIVEN SEVERAL MONTHS AFTER THE FIRST TWO INJECTIONS AND IT'S ALREADY A STRUGGLE TO SIGN UP FOLKS TO GIVE THE INITIAL SHOTS.

>> WHAT WE HEAR FROM THE COMMUNITY IS WHEN WILL THIS STOP.

IT'S ONE SHOT, TWO SHOTS SO WE'LL SUBJECT THEM.

>> POSING TO THE HIGHLY INFECTIOUS DELTA VARIANT AND MORE IN NEW JERSEY AND PFIZER CITED THE VACCINE'S ABILITY IN PREVENTING INFECTION AND SYMPTOMATIC DISEASE HAS DECLINED SIX MONTHS POSTVACCINATION OVER EFFICACY AND PREVENTING SERIOUS ILLNESSES REMAINS HIGH.

OTHER STUDIES SUGGEST PFIZER'S VACCINES ALREADY OFFER MORE THAN 90% PROTECTION AGAINST THE DELTA STRAIN AND CDC'S DIRECTOR SAYS FULLY VACCINATED AMERICANS DON'T NEED A BOOSTER AT THIS POINT.

>> OUR AUTHORIZED VACCINES PREVENT SEVERE DISEASE, HOSPITALIZATION, AND DEATH FROM THE DELTA VARIANT.

THESE RESULTS HAVE BEEN OBSERVED IN OTHER STATES AS WELL.

>> REGULATORS AND SCIENTISTS WHO ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR OUR HEALTH AND PROTECTION CAME OUT AND SAID NOT SO FAST.

>> MEANWHILE NEW CLINICAL TRIALS NEXT MONTH FOR AN UPDATED TRIAL OF THE CURRENT VACCINE AND SPECIFICALLY TARGETING THE DELTA VARIANT AND ALPHA STRAINS AND ANNOUNCE THE FIRST BATCH OF THE REWORKED MRNA VACCINE ALREADY HAS BEEN MANUFACTURED AND A TRIAL COULD OCCUR IN ENERGY.

>> YOU'RE SORT OF PREPARING FOR THE FUTURE BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WE MIGHT BE FACED AGAINST.

>> DOCTOR GARR HEADING PFIZER'S CLINICAL TRIAL EXPLAINS A NEW VACCINE TAKES UP A WIDER FOCUS.

>> THE ONES WE'RE GETTING HAVE BEEN INSTRUCTING THE BODY TO MAKE ANTIBODIES AGAINST COMMON CIRCULATING VIRUS.

THE NEW ONES ARE SAYING OKAY, MAKE ANTIBODIES NOW TO THESE TWO OTHER TYPES AS WELL.

>> THEY REPORT THE DELTA VARIETIES ABOUT 5% MORE TRANSMISSIBLE ABOUT THE ALPHA STRAIN THAT ROSE IN THE UK BUT HEALTH EXPERTS ARE CLOSELY WATCHING ANOTHER VERSION OF THE VIRUS CALLED LAMBDA AND INFECTED MORE THAN 70% OF PERU'S POPULATION AND SPREADING GLOBALLY.

AS OF TODAY, THE U.S. REPORTED 657 CASES AND NEW JERSEY IS NOT WORRIED YET.

>> LAMBDA DOESN'T APPEAR TO BE AN ISSUE FROM A NATIONAL ORDER OF PERSPECTIVE AT THIS TIME.

>> .

>> WE HAVE THE SCIENTIFIC INFRASTRUCTURE AND MAKE NEW VACCINES AND WE DO THIS FOR.

>> .

>> KEY TO SUPPORTING MORE AND GET VACCINATED AND DENY THE VIRUS A CHANCE.

>>> FOR THE FIRST TIME, THE STATE IS RELEASING DATA TO MILLIONS OF STATE POLICE TRAFFIC STOPS GOING BACK MORE THAN A DECADE.

THE NEW DASH BOARD IS INTENDED TO BE A TOOL IN PROMOTING TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY IN POLICING.

IT DOESN'T LIST THE NAMES OF TROOPERS OR DRIVERS, BUT IT DOES ACCOUNT FOR THE DRIVER'S RACE, REASON FOR THE STOP IF CRIMINAL CHARGES WERE ISSUED, AND IF PHYSICAL FORCE WAS USED.

SENIOR WRITER COLLEEN O'DAY ANALYZED THAT AND WHAT THEY'VE BEEN SAYING ALL ALONG.

>> THEY'VE CONFIRMED BLACK AND HISPANIC MOTORISTS ARE MORE LIKELY TO WIND UP HAVING THEIR CARS CARS SEARCHED AND IF USE OF FORCE WAS USED ON THEM DURING A TRAFFIC STOP.

>> THIS IS OUT OF HOW MANY TRAFFIC STOPS ARE INCLUDED ON HERE AND WHAT WAS THE RATIO BETWEEN WHAT YOU SAW THERE AS FAR AS CHARGES, ARRESTS, BLACK AND HISPANIC DRIVERS COMPARED TO THE AMOUNT OF WHITE DRIVERS?

>> WE LOOKED AT THREE YEARS AND THAT WAS ABOUT ONE AND A HALF MILLION TRAFFIC STOPS AND THE RATIOS WERE PRETTY CONSIST AND IT WAS ABOUT 2-1 FOR HISPANIC DRIVERS COMPARED TO WHITES AND MORE LIKE 4-1 OR EVEN MORE FOR BLACK DRIVERS THAN FOR WHITES.

>> WHAT, IF ANY, WOULD BE BROUGHT ABOUT NOW BY HAVING THIS DATA IN FRONT OF US?

>> THE THE IDEA IS TO HAVE REPORTERS LIKES AND ALSO TO HAVE ADVOCATES TAKE A LOOK AT THIS DATA.

WHAT THEY WERE SAYING, THE FOLKS THAT I SPOKE WITH YESTERDAY IS THAT THEY HOPE THAT THIS MIGHT BE INFLUENCE LET'S SAY GOVERNOR MURPHY TO VETO THIS BILL THAT'S ON HIS DESK, WHICH WOULD ALLOW POLICE TO REVIEW DASH CAM WITH BODY CAM FOOTAGE BEFORE WRITING THE REPORT AND THEY THINK THE BODY CAMERAS ARE A REAL STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION AND ALLOW THEM TO REVIEW THAT DATA BEFORE WRITING A REPORT AND THEY MIGHT BE ABLE TO COLOR THE REPORT BASED ON THAT.

>> DOES IT PROVE ALLEGATIONS THAT WERE MADE OVER THE YEARS OF RACIAL PROFILING?

>> YOU KNOW, SO THAT'S KIND OF A HARD QUESTION.

THERE'S NO WAY FOR THE STATE TO ACTUALLY JUDGE THAT BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW HOW MANY BLACK AND HISPANIC AND WHITE DRIVERS ARE ON THE ROADS.

THERE'S BEEN NO KIND OF SETTING SO THERE'S NO WAY TO TELL THAT.

CERTAINLY WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THAT STOP OCCURS, AGAIN, WHETHER A VEHICLE IS SEARCHED, WHETHER A PERSON GETS A TICKET, YOU KNOW, IN THOSE CASES IT'S CERTAINLY LOOKING LIKE THERE MIGHT BE A CASE OF RACIAL PROFILING AND JUST DOES THE WHITE MOTORISTS GET OFF MORE OFTEN THAN A WARNING OR JUST BE ALLOWED TO MOVE ON THAN THE PERSON OF COLOR.

>> COLLEEN, O'DAY, THANK YOU FOR SIFT THROUGH ALL THIS.

THE NEW TRAFFIC STOP WE'VE HAD A FULL STORY IN THE HOUR.

PUBLISHING THAT DATA WAS ONE OF ATTORNEY GENERAL GRAY WALL'S FINAL ACTS IN OFFICE BEFORE HE LEAVES ONE WEEK FROM TODAY YOUR TOP JOB AT SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE AND IT WAS A CORNERSTONE OF TENURE OF THE STATE'S LONGEST SERVING ATTORNEY GENERAL IN 25 YEARS AND HE BEGAN UNDER THE MURPHY ADMINISTRATION AND UNDER THE REPUTATION OF BEING TOUGH ON FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP'S POLICIES AND HE SPOKE WITH SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT DAVID CRUZ AND HIS ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND WHAT WORK REMAINS UNDONE AS HE LEAVES OFFICE.

>> IT WAS A GROUND BREAKING PICK AND THE FIRST SICK AND THE FIRST INDIAN NAMED AS STATE'S LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER FOR THE STATE.

HE BECAME A FIERCE ADVOCATE FOR NEW JERSEY'S COMMUNITIES AND THE TARGETED LITIGATION DONALD TRUMP.

>> DID YOU FEEL LIKE THE 45th PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES WAS A THREAT TO DEMOCRACY.

>> OVER THE LAST THREE AND A HALF YEARS AND I REVIEWED HIS POLICIES WHY ASKING TWO PEOPLE IN QUESTION LIKE IS THE ADMINISTRATION SOMETHING LAWFUL AND AFFECTING OUR RESIDENTS.

ANSWERING YES TO THE BULK OF THOSE QUESTIONS.

>> THE OFFICE JOINED OR INITIATED LEGAL ACTION AGAINST THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION WITH ENVIRONMENT, EDUCATION, AND LGBTQ RIGHTS JUST TO NAME A FEW.

NOT TO MENTION HIS SQUARING OFF AGAINST GUN MAY RECOLLECTS AND OPIOID FACTORS.

>> THE KILLING OF GEORGE FLOYD OF 2020 HAS SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON THE LEADER OF LAW ENFORCEMENT OF THE STATE'S TOP LAWYER.

>> I WAS JUST SHAKEN TO MY CORE BECAUSE I SAW A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER STAND BY WHILE THEY SQUEEZED THE LIFE OUT OF A HUMAN BEING.

FOR ME IT SPED UP THE WORK WE'VE BEEN DOING AND WE'VE LAUNCHED EXCELLENCE OF POLICING IN 2019 AND WHOLE HOST OF POLICIES FOCUSING ON INCREASING PROFESSIONALISM, TRANSPARENCY, AND ACCOUNTABILITY.

I SAW THE VIDEO OF MR. FLOYD'S KILLING, I WANTED TO MOVE MORE QUICKLY ON REVAMPING OUR STATE'S POLICY.

THAT'S WHAT WE DID.

>> IT DIDN'T ALWAYS SIT WELL WITH LOCAL POLICE DEPARTMENT OR LAW AND ORDER FOCUSED CONSERVATIVES IN THE STATE INCLUDING THE REPUBLICAN RUNNING FOR GOVERNOR WHO CALLED GRAY WALL ANTI-COP.

>> HI HEAR THAT, I JUST FIND THAT TO BE LAZY, INACCURATE, POLITICAL ELECTION YEAR RHETORIC.

I THINK IF YOU PEEL BACK THE LAYERS AND IF THESE FOLKS THAT THROW AROUND THOSE TERMS ACTUALLY LOOK AT WHAT WE'VE DONE, YOU WILL SEE THAT 99.9% OF THE POLICIES WE'VE IMPLEMENTED HAVE BROAD ENFORCEMENTS.

>> THEYMENTED THEM TO MOVE TO THEIR SIDE OF THINKING ON RELEASE OF POLICE MISCONDUCT RECORDS AND COMPLAIN REVIEW BOARDS WITH SUBPOENA POWER AND PUSHED BACK ON AN OCEAN PUT FORTH BY SOME THERE WAS TENSION BETWEEN HIM AND THE GOVERNOR.

>> RULES AND NORMS AND THE INDEPENDENCE OF THIS I'M INCREDIBLY THANKFUL FOR US AND BOTH ON OUR POLICIES BUT ALSO THE OFFICE AS A WHOLE.

>> GRAY WALL MOVES ONTO HEAD UP THE ENFORCEMENT DIVISION OF SECURITY AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION LATER IN THE MONTH.

A JOB HE SAID HE WASN'T NECESSARILY SEEKING BUT IT LOOKING FORWARD TO TAKING ON.

I'M DAVID CRUZ, NJ SPOTLIGHT NEWS.

>>> GOVERNOR MURPHY IS POINTING TO A PACKAGE OF CLEAN ENERGY BILLS HE SIGNED TODAY AS ONE MOVED TOWARDS COMBATING CLIMATE CHANGE AND PUSHING THE STATE CLOSER TO HIS GOAL OF REACHING 100% CLEAN ENERGY IN THE NEXT 30 YEARS.

BEFORE BILLS WILL INCREASE SOLAR DEVELOPMENT AND ENCOURAGE MORE PEOPLE TO PURCHASE ZERO EMISSIONS VEHICLES BY BOOSTING THE NUMBER OF FUELING AND CHARGING STATIONS IN THE STATE.

NEW JERSEY'S SIERRA CLUB DOESN'T SEE IT THAT WAY AND ENVIRONMENTAL GROUP IS CONCERNED ABOUT JUST WHERE THOSE STATIONS WILL BE LOCATED AND THAT IT DOESN'T GO FAR TO SUPPORT ELECTRIC VEHICLES INSTEAD OF PROMOTING ZERO EMISSIONS CARS AND STILL MURPHY SEES THE NOW LAWS AS A BIG STEP OF GROWING RENEWABLE ENERGY.

>> IT'S IMPACTED BY CLIMATE CHANGE AND WARMER TEMPERATURES AND RISING SEAS THAT NEW JERSEY OF THE DIRECT THREAT NOT JUST TO COMMUNITIES LIKE SEASIDE HEIGHTS AND ALSO TO LONG AGRICULTURAL L CHERISHED FARMING HERITAGE.

LET'S EMBRACE THE MOMENT AND PUSH FORWARD WITH NEW IDEAS OF NEW TECHNOLOGIES.

>> WHAT ABOUT THE STATES ARTS ORGANIZATIONS.

RHONDA HAS THOSE NUMBERS AND TONIGHT'S TOP BUSINESS STORIES.

>> WE ARE THE NEW JERSEY MAY BE OPEN FOR BUSINESS BUT ARTS ASK CULTURE ORGANIZATIONS ARE STILL STRUGGLING FINANCIALLY AND THERE'S A BIG PUSH TO GET THEM HELP WITH EFFORTS ON BOTH THE LOCAL AND FEDERAL LEVEL.

91 VENUES IN NEW JERSEY RECEIVED A TOTAL OF $52 MILLION IN GRANTS AND THE OPERATOR PROGRAM AND INCLUDE THE THEATER, MCARTHUR THEATER, NEW JERSEY PERFORMING ARTS CENTER.

MEANTIME THERE'S MORE THAN 60 SMALLER ARTS, CULTURE AND HISTORICAL NONPROFITS HAVE RECENTLY RECEIVED FUNDING FROM THE NEW JERSEY ARTS AND CULTURE RECOVERY FUND.

THEY'VE DISTRIBUTED MORE THAN 1.3 MILLION IN GRANTS ACCORDING TO THE COCHAIR OF THE FUND.

>> THE ORGANIZATION THAT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO HAVE VISITORS THROUGH THEIR GATES, THROUGH THEIR DOORS AND HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO HAVE MOST OF THEIR FUNDRAISING EFFORTS, THE NEED FOR DOLLARS AND CENTS BOOK FAST AND IN A HURRY WAS PARAMOUNT.

>> THEY PROVIDE $2.6 MILLION TO 100 ORGANIZATIONS.

CITY WORKERS HAVE A FINANCIAL BONUS THIS WEEK AND THE CITY USED SOME OF THE COVID RELIEF FUNDS TO PROVIDE HAZARD PAY TO OVER 1,000 MUNICIPAL WORKERS ON THE JOB DURING THE PANDEMIC AND THE CITY HAS UP TO 25% OF THE WORK FORCE AND BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD OF NEW JERSEY SAID IT'LL BE A FOUNDING SPONSOR OF THE CITY BEING BUILT NEAR LIBERTY SCIENCE CENTER AND ENSURE AN UNDERWRITER OF NJ SPOTLIGHT NEWS SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AND THE TRAINING DAY IN THE VIRGIN ISLANDS THOSE ARE YOUR TOP BUSINESS STORIES.

>>> WITH THE PRIMARIES BEHIND US, THE REAL FUN OF ELECTION SEASON BEGINS.

IN THE 16th LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT, FORMER CONGRESSMAN MIKE PAPUS WON THE REPUBLICAN NOMINATION TO TAKE ON DEMOCRATIC ASSEMBLYMAN ANDREW ZWIKER FOR THE OPEN ASSEMBLY SEAT AND HE'S IN CONGRESS AND U.S. SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION DURING THE GEORGE W. BUSH PRESIDENCY AND LATER RETURNED TO LOCAL POLITICS IN HIS HOMETOWN AND TOLD OUR CHIEF POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT MICHAEL AARON HE'S READY TO GET BACK IN THE GAME.

>> FORMER CONGRESSMAN MIKE PAPUS, GOOD TO SEE YOU.

YOU'VE BEEN OUT OF ELECTORAL POLITICS FOR 23 YEARS.

WHY DO YOU WANT BACK IN?

>> WELL, YOU KNOW, AARON, THIS STATE OF NEW JERSEY OF OURS IS A BEAUTIFUL STATE BUT THE STRUGGLES I'VE SEEN OVER THE LAST YEAR OR SO PROMPTED ME TO WANT TO RUN.

SMALL BUSINESS HAS BEEN A SPECIAL PLACE IN MY HEART AS YOU KNOW AND I WAS ON A SMALL BUSINESS COMMITTEE AS A MEMBER OF CONGRESS AND GREW UP IN A FAMILY OWNED BUSINESS AND ONE- THIRD CLOSED OVER THE NEXT DAY OR SO.

>> THE DEMOCRATS TRYING TO MOVE UP TO THE SENATE.

DO YOU HOLD HIM SOMEHOW ACCOUNTABLE FOR WHAT YOU JUST DESCRIBED AS A SMALL BUSINESS.

>> HE'S PARTS OF THE LEGISLATURE TO VOTE FOR TOMORROW AND INCREASE TO VOTE TO INCREASE TAX ON HEALTHCARE.

CERTAINLY WE KNOW THIS IS AN OVER $9 BILLION DEBT THAT HE VOTED FOR AS A MEMBER OF THE STATE ASSEMBLY AND I KNOW THAT THE STATE'S ACTIONS BESIDES ADDING TO THE STATE TAXES HAS REALLY SHIFTED MANY COSTS TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT, WHICH HAS BEEN A JOINT INCREASE TO PROPERTY TAXES AND THAT KIND OF RECORD IS ONE THAT I CERTAINLY WOULD NOT SUPPORT AND I'M A MEMBER OF THE STATE SENATE IN A DIFFERENT WAY.

>> WHAT ARE YOUR PROSPECTS IN THIS DISTRICT FROM VICTORY?

>> I'M VERY OPTIMISTIC.

WE JUST PUBLISHED A REPORT OF A POLL THAT WE HAD CONDUCTED JUST A FEW WEEKS AGO.

AS WE WERE TIDE EACH AT 44%, THE NAME ID THAT I HAVE IS CONSIDERABLE JUST ABOUT WHERE HIS UNDECLARED VOTERS ARE BREAK OUR WAY TO THE ONE AND THAT APPEARS TO BE A TREND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE SEEING STATEWIDE.

>> BACK IN THE DAY YOU WERE THOUGHT OF AS KIND OF HARD RIGHT REPUBLICAN AND ARE YOU A TRUMP REPORTER?

>> I'M A PROUD REPUBLICAN AND I WANT TO BE A MEMBER OF THE STATE SENATE AND RATHER DISMISSIVE, DISENGAGED ATTITUDE AND OUT OF TOUCH ATTITUDE AND I KNOW I'LL MAKE A DIFFERENCE BECAUSE I BELIEVE I HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT AVERAGE PEOPLE ARE STRUGGLING WITH AND I KNOW THAT MY FOCUS ON SMALL BUSINESS IS VERY, VERY CRITICAL FOR THE SUCCESS OF THE PEOPLE OF THIS DISTRICT.

>> THANKS VERY MUCH.

>> THANKS VERY MUCH.

GREAT TO SEE YOU.

>> THAT DOES IT FOR US THIS WEEK.

CATCH UP ON ALL THE LATEST HEADLINES INCLUDING OTHER KEY RACES TO WATCH THIS ELECTION CYCLE ON REPORTERS ROUND TABLE WITH DAVID CRUZ SATURDAY AT 6:00 P.M. ON NJ PBS AND 6:30 P.M. AND SUNDAY MORNING AT 10:30 A.M..

I'M BRIANA VANNOZZI, FOR THE ENTIRE NEWS TEAM, THANKS FOR BEING WITH US.

HAPPY FRIDAY AND HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND.