>> Major funding for NJ Spotlight News is provided in part by NJM, serving the insurance needs of residents and businesses for more than 100 years.

And by the PSEG foundation.

>> Tonight on NJ Spotlight News, cash for votes in Hoboken?

Allegations of voter fraud.

One councilman accused of running a cash for votes scheme.

>> This can't be put back in.

Voters will have to do the best they can to sort this out.

>> Also, relief in the Middle East, at least for now.

The first hostages are released after Israel and Hamas agreed to a four-day pause in fighting.

Plus, liquor license reform.

Many business owners are anxious as the deadline to pass new reform inches closer.

>> The governor says he supports our bill, which is confounding to us because we gave him a solution to a problem that his own administration put us in.

>> And Black Friday is here.

Committed shoppers brave the crowds looking for deals, but how is inflation impacting their budgets on the busiest shopping day of the year?

NJ Spotlight News begins right now.

♪ >> From NJPBS Studios, this is NJ Spotlight News.

Joanna: thanks for joining us this Friday night, I am Joanna Gagis in for Brianna Vannozi.

Political corruption is nothing new in Hudson County but the city Council in Hoboken race has turned especially ugly this week with allegations of voter fraud in a cash for votes scheme.

The controversy is surrounding the runoff election in Hoboken's first Ward.

That election is less than two weeks away and Hoboken's mayor has called for an investigation, which has drawn finger-pointing from both sides, including allegations that the mayor himself is running a smear campaign and trying to install a Council that would side with him during future votes.

Our Senior correspondent has more on this messy election runoff.

>> The Hoboken council race runoff has gone off the rails in a town that is infamous for bareknuckle politics.

Some folks in this apartment building allege one tenant paid other tenants $50 a pop for their vote by mail ballot, supposedly to influence the first Ward Council election.

But is the accusation true?

Or as critics allege, a political smear campaign?

>> Hoboken has a history of dirty and illegal politics.

For a long time folks have considered it part for the course in the city -- par for the course in the city.

That is Hoboken for you.

That is frankly not acceptable.

>> Councilman Joe Quintero said he helped some upset tenants send this letter to New Jersey's Attorney General asking for an investigation after they saw monitoring the mailroom for potential voters, following these individuals to their apartment to either force a vote for a specific candidate or to collect a blank ballot, then following up with a cash payment for the vote.

They claim it is a scheme to help one candidate when the first Ward runoff.

>> My primary motivations are to help these residents have a voice where they feel they have none, and really get these issues on the record with respect to the authorities.

>> Quintero and the Hoboken Mayor both back roughy Cordova.

Cordova's swing vote could give the mayor a majority on Hoboken's nine C Council.

Cordova says I believe this is a serious matter in need of investigation given Hoboken's history of these illegal efforts.

>> The prosecutors can figure it out over time but voters have to make a decision.

As you said, council control is on the line.

Which faction is going to govern the city Council for the next number of years is on the line.

It's not an unimportant runoff election.

>> Some supporters smell a rat.

>> It is a hallmark of a corrupt mayor and every campaign he gets involved in to defend his candidates and to keep as much control over local politics, to just use dirty politics and tactics like this.

>> This councilwoman also sent the Attorney General a letter, calling the accusations a smear, and a damaging headline to be timed on the day vote by mail ballots hit mailboxes two weeks before the election.

She claims in a city with large apartment buildings, Cintron did with a lot of campaign supporters do, help their candidate.

>> This is just someone she wanted to help support in the way she knows how to, to help get out the vote.

>> Cintron stated I vehemently deny paying anyone to vote and of looking into filing a defamation lawsuit against those who have made these false allegations.

She was named in a former Hoboken vote by in case, but never -- vote buying case, but never charged.

Presinzano is considering a lawsuit too.

>> The damage is done.

This cannot be undone.

Voters are going to have to do the best they can to sort this out.

>> Voters have until the runoffs on December 5.

NJ Spotlight News.

>> Legislators in New Jersey are determining which bills will make it through this postelection lame-duck period of the legislative session and one possibility could be a change to the open Public records act requests, that allows the media and public access to the inner workings of government.

The proposed bill could make access much more difficult.

That is not sitting well with three organizations of the state, including the ACLU and league of American women voters of New Jersey.

We spoke with the New Jersey working families party about the cost that these changes could have on democracy in the city.

>> I appreciate your time.

New Jersey working families, a coalition of groups sent this letter.

Essentially you all said that these changes would diminish transparency but also perhaps embolden public officials to "act with impunity."

What specifically do you see as threats to transparency here?

>> Thanks so much for having me speak on this.

Really, we are looking at this New Jersey working families and the coalition we put together, we have seen how Trenton has taken several steps back and has chipped away at transparency over recent legislative sessions.

We are really concerned that reforms put to OPRA would relate diminish the power of OPRA and access to the public records that the book rightfully deserves to access, a potential loss of the attorneys fees via fee shifting.

We feel that is a really important provision that allows the public to be able to pursue OPRA challenges through the municipality.

We are concerned with the loss of that, that many people may not even pursue an OPRA request because they will not be able to have the legal representation they so rightfully want to have when it comes to specific OPRA requests.

We are concerned about curtailing, fee shifting, and we also are concerned about measures that would really narrow the scope in which people can bring about OPRA complaints and challenges, particularly with moving away from the Superior Court process to the GRC, the Government records Council.

We know that GRC is a small in-state agency that has not been well-funded in recent years and has a severe backlog when it comes to government records complaints.

So we are worried that the public will be waiting months and sometimes even years to see the result of an OPRA request that is quite detailed.

>> How do you contend with the argument that many lawmakers have made, where they say we are all about transparency but commercial businesses are inundating arming of civil courts within these requests, that they then use as data mining, sell for a profit, and our municipalities are left holding the bag.

How do you argue with that?

>> I will say a few things about that.

Number one, our point of view is that we not throw the baby out with the bathwater.

We understand there are people out there, commercial interests, who do use OPRA and data mine, and it is quite burdensome for me to support Clark's.

-- for municipal clerks.

Let's give clerks the support they deserve.

If there are ways to support them, and I know a former Senator was very detailed in her previous proposals when she was in the legislature to bring the clerk's Association to the table, to bring municipalities to the table to talk through these things.

I think we are looking at this as making sure that we do give clerks the support they need and we address these issues, but at the same time I would challenge who was left holding the bag when we don't have a strong OPRA bill that allows us to look into government malfeasance and waste, fraud, and abuse of taxpayer dollars.

We need to tally up that cost as well should we have a weakened OPRA bill.

>> Thank you so much.

>> Thank you.

>> 24 hostages were released by Hamas today, 13 Israelis, 10 Thai hostages and one Filipino hostage.

Their release is part of a four-day cease-fire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza in exchange for the Hamas hostages, Israel freed 39 Palestinian prisoners, including women and children who have been held in Israeli jails.

This exchange was the first and what is expected to be three more days of prisoner swap's.

In total at least 50 Israeli hostages in exchange for 150 Palestinian prisoners.

The deal was brokered by Qatar with help from the U.S. President Biden addressed the nation today, saying he still does not know when the three American hostages held by Hamas will be released.

Among them is a little girl who turned four years old today, and a 19-year-old New Jersey resident Edan Alexander volunteering when he was kidnapped.

Humanitarian aid will be delivered to Gaza.

200 trucks were brought in carrying food, water, medical supplies and cooking gas.

President Biden Sagan hundreds more trucks are prepared to come through in the coming days.

Liquor license reform was a top agenda priority for Governor Murphy this year, but as we ticked down until the end of the legislative season, there has been little movement on any liquor licensing reform.

One reason, lawmakers cannot agree on how to address brewery regulations in the state.

Murphy said he would conditionally veto any bill that included breweries because he wants those regulations included in broader liquor license reforms.

There is no clear answer on how to handle liquor license owners who already spent millions.

A closer look at what these regulations mean for their industries.

>> Franks shoe store closed about five or six years ago and no one has filled the vacuum in town.

>> The Chatham mayor hopes think and fill this vacant building downtown.

>> Something needs to replace that, otherwise you will have a dining downtown.

We have basically contracting retail and service enterprises here.

There is a contraction of that sector of the economy in downtown that started with the rise of malls 40 years ago, but was exacerbated by the onset of e-commerce.

>> The building will be knocked down and replaced in January.

There is no new tenant, but he has heard ideas.

>> I have had a number of residents come up to me and say, why doesn't Chatham have a wine bar?

>> Chatham only has four liquor licenses to hand out to bars and restaurants, and they are all in use.

More licenses could soon be available if state lawmakers address liquor license reform during the lame-duck session.

New Jersey's set up generally allows one liquor license for every 3000 people in a city or town, which can cause scarcity and drive up the price to get one.

>> We probably put $300,000 into the building and the liquor license costs us $500,000 which we had to pay for in cash.

>> Peter opened his grill in 2006.

>> I liquidated my 401(k) to purchase the liquor license and then inside I had some money saved.

>> He put up about three quarters of that himself.

>> My liquor license now is maybe worth when million dollars.

That is my retirement.

>> He is concerned about what would happen if liquor licenses could be bought and sold cheaply.

He does not mind if Governor Murphy makes changes statewide, as long as he is compensated.

>> If he pays us for what are liquor licenses are worth, I don't care what he does.

I don't care about competition because I know my product is good.

>> Governor Murphy's office says comprehensive liquor license reform is why he plans to conditionally veto a bill that would ease regulations on breweries.

Murphy says he supports the bill but Brewers still feel like bargaining chips.

>> The governor says he supports our bill, which is confounding to us because we gave him a solution to a problem that his own administration put us in.

He seems not to want to take a gift that is wrapped with a bow on top and instead included a proposal that seemingly has no support from the legislature.

>> I feel they are using that as a chip, essentially unfairly for us, because we have done the work to get that bill through.

>> Cindy co-owns twin elephant in Chatham.

She says New Jersey's new rules on breweries stifle her business.

They include regulating the size of televisions and how many public events can be held each year.

>> Live music, trivia nights, anything, educational nights.

>> She hopes a solution can be found before January 1, when the new rules are set to come back into effect.

>> To create another barrier for local businesses to, you know, thrive, is really detrimental right now, especially with how the economy is.

Everyone is just feeling it a lot.

>> That brewery bill was passed withing and miss support in the state Senate and assembly -- was passed with unanimous support in the state Senate and assembly but it may not mean anything if an agreement cannot be reached before the end of the lame-duck session.

>> Mental health services have been in high demand since the pandemic, when rates of depression and anxiety skyrocketed.

It has led to wait times of up to five months in many cases before a person can be seen by a therapist.

A bill just clear the assembly health committal that could enter New Jersey into an interstate agreement called the counseling compact.

I am joined by a mental health writer who can explain what this agreement is and how it can help meet the needs of the state.

Good to have you here and talking with us today.

The assembly health committee moved forward a bill that would enter New Jersey into the counseling compact.

What is it?

>> Essentially the compact would allow for licensed affectional counselors living in New Jerse to apply for this application that would allow them to practice in other states without going through a multiple licensor application process.

The significance of that is that a lot of times when counselors, licensed affectional counselors want to expand their pool of clients, they have to go through a lengthy process where they have to wait up to a month to get approved in another state.

That would often cause disruptions in their practice but also for their client base.

This is a significant step forward to not only help licensed professional counselors in New Jersey expand their client base, but also for folks in New Jersey that are in need of counselors to get to see one potentially more quickly.

>> Right now the wait times, as you reported, are about 22 weeks for anyone to see a counselor.

We know anecdotally the many instances where folks are waiting much longer.

How could this help address the mental health need in New Jersey?

>> It would essentially allow for folks who want to see a counselor to be able to see counselors not just in New Jersey, but in any of the other 30 compact member states.

Right now there is Maryland, Delaware and Connecticut, at as well as a few other local states.

Essentially someone in your jersey be able to see a counselor who has a license to practice in New Jersey but may be residing in Maryland, to see them via telehealth.

It would allow for folks of greater diversity of potential therapists to see, and it would also allow them to see potentially some of these counselors sooner rather than later to cut down on these wait times we are hearing about not just in New Jersey but across the country.

>> We know there has been a shortage of health care providers based on the need that exists in New Jersey.

Are any of those partner states having a better go at it, or could this take time from our therapists here into other states?

>> Right now it is hard to determine because the compacts are one step in the process.

What will happen next is every counselor who is in one of these compact member states would have to apply to get approved.

That application process is supposed to be streamlined and a lot quicker than a month, as some folks have told me within a matter of minutes to get this application approved.

At the same time it will take a while to get up and running, so none of this is in place yet where there is an actual therapist conducting telehealth.

It is all the foundational aspects of it right now, but there are potentials to have quicker wait times in a lot of these -- excuse me, quicker access to therapy across state lines.

>> Always appreciate your reporting on mental health issues in New Jersey.

Thank you.

Joanna: As we head into the winter months when viruses and infections thrive, the federal government is trying to get ahead of a potential spike in COVID cases.

They are once again providing free COVID tests, up to four per household.

Head to covidtest.gov, fill out a form and those free rapid at home tests will be delivered to you.

The CDC is into subpoenaing a similar spike and hospitalizations compared to last year -- is anticipating a similar spike in hospitalizations compared to last year.

Government leaders say if you already have tests from previous offerings, check those expiration dates and order more to make sure you have tests that work.

In our spotlight on biz report, it is Black Friday.

You know what that means, long lines of dedicated choppers braving the clouds -- shoppers braving the crowds for holiday deals.

Choppers got an unexpected surprise, a bomb threat.

They got an alert on their phones telling them to evacuate the building.

That alert came from the New Jersey state police, who later gave the all clear for choppers to return to their stores -- shoppers to return to their stores.

They evacuated the building out of an abundance of caution.

At Menlo Park Mall it has been business as usual.

♪ >> I got clothes, I got some makeup.

That is literally it.

>> A pair of shoes we could wear in the wintertime.

>> Shoppers were out in full force at Menlo Park Mall in Edison.

That in part has to do with retailers pulling out all the stops to entice shoppers to skip online and shop in person.

>> Express is 50% off, those are great deals that you can just go in, feel it, try it and buy it.

We have some really great stores that you can't find anywhere else.

We have Mango, Nordstrom is here.

It is a one-stop shop.

>> The shopping season is coming when people are feeling the effects of high inflation and interest rates, and experts say shoppers this year will spend cautiously, which means some serious competition for retailers.

>> It is a mu -- very much about the battle for consumer spending.

Retailers want to grab some of the dollars be part spending, but they will probably not be quite enough to go around.

Retailers will have to work hard to offer great discounts, great bargains, really entice consumers through the doors and get them spending.

>> While many shoppers I spoke with admit the sales are not as good as they once were, many of them showed up as early as 6:00 a.m., whether by themselves or with family members, to get the best deals.

Do you feel like the retailers are really trying to get people in the store?

>> No.

I think they should do 10 times more.

>> Is in the lines that can scare people off?

>> yes, definitely.

There are lines going all the way from the entrance.

That is definitely intimidating.

>> What is the longest line you waited in today?

>> Probably, I want to say the food court.

[LAUGHTER] >> According to the latest National retail Federation national survey, an estimated 182 million people are planning to shop in-store and online for thanks giving Day through Cyber Monday this year.

>> we call today Black Friday.

And Black Friday for some means rushing Target or to the mall.

Rush downtown and stroll and enjoy the cheer.

>> The director of New Jersey's national Federation of Independent business is reminding and encouraging all New Jerseyans to support small businesses in the state.

>> There is sometimes a misconception that just because you are shopping local, you will be being skyhigh through the roof, and it is just not true.

I liked up a little spin on why -- like to put a little spin on why shopping local is more fun.

You don't have the boxes and the returns and you don't have the stress of going to the UPS and FedEx store and getting on that line and making those returns.

It really creates more of a final experience.

You are wrapping a gift and it is done.

I think it is more rewarding.

>> Mall management wants to remind everyone that if you could not make it out today, those deals will continue throughout this weekend.

For NJ Spotlight News.

>> The markets closed early today, all three closing with gains for the fourth straight week.

Here is a look at those numbers.

♪ >> Support for the business report provided by the New Jersey tourism industry Association.

NJTIA will host the New Jersey conference on tourism November 30 through December 1 in Atlantic City.

NJTAA.org for more information.

♪ >> That is all we have for you tonight but don't forget to download the NJ Spotlight News's podcast so you can listen anytime.

For all of us at NJ Spotlight News, thanks for being with us, have a great weekend and we will see you back here on Monday.

>> New Jersey education Association, making public schools great for every child.

And RWJBarnabas health.

>> Our future relies on clean energy.

Our future relies on empowered communities.

The health and safety of our families and neighbors, of our schools and streets.

The foundation is committed to sustainability, equity, and economic empowerment.

Investing in parks, helping towns go green, supporting civic centers, scholarships, and workforce development that strengthen our community.

♪