>> tonight on NJ Spotlight news, breaking news.

Senator Bob Menendez back in court pleads not guilty to the latest indictment charged that the illegally acted as a foreign agent from Egypt.

>> they crossed the Rubicon, something new for the Department of Justice.

They've never charged any member of Congress.

>> taking on RWj, Bernie Sanders will storm the state for a health care hearing.

1700 striking nurses remain on the picket line.

>> it is courageous for them to stand up, not something that is easy.

In order to represent their patients.

>> free Palestine.

>> thousands rally in Patterson demanding a cease-fire while attacks in Gaza intensified killing hundreds.

>> a free mobile mammograms than hits the road in South Jersey offering cancer screenings for uninsured women.

>> we expect people to leave communities of comfort to get care and now we are bringing comfort to the people.

>> NJ spotlight news begins now.

Announcer: Funding for "NJ spotlight news is provided by NJM insurance group, serving the insurance needs of residents and businesses for more than 100 years.

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And by the PSEG foundation.

♪ >> from NJ PBS this is NJ spotlight news with Briannna.

>> thank you for joining us this Monday night.

We begin with breaking news, Senator Bob Menendez maintains his innocence, returning to a Manhattan court today pleading not guilty to allegations he acted as a foreign agent to Egypt.

Prosecutors accused New Jersey's senator along with his wife and a third defendant of comes dying to aid the Egyptian government and exchange or bribes.

Alleging he provided sensitive U.S. government information and took part in a corrupt agreement to help Egyptian military officials.

The charge comes one month after Menendez and his wife we did not guilty to federal corruption charges accusing them of taking hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash in return for the use of the high-ranking senators in to enrich three New Jersey businessmen and the government of Egypt rated Senior correspondent Brenda Flanagan is outside the courthouse where Menendez was arraigned and has the latest.

>> we spent three minutes at the arraignment for Senator Menendez and he pleaded not guilty in a very strong force to the latest charge of a superseding indictment.

His codefendants pleaded not guilty last week, the senator had asked that his agreement be postponed until today because of his duties with the Senate in Washington.

Federal law pervades elected -- prohibits agents from serving as a federal agent but the indictment charges Menendez met with Egyptian officials who wanted his help to restore military aid to Egypt that had been blocked by Congress.

The Egyptians texted a tempting offer if he helped resolve the matter, he will sit comfortably.

The codefendant replied consider it done.

>> they crossed the Rubicon, it's something new for the Department of Justice.

They never charged a member of Congress.

>> is not a slamdunk prosecution according to Stanley Brandt even though Menendez sat as chair of the Senate foreign relations committee.

Prosecutors allege he promised to take and took a series of acts on behalf of Egypt including on behalf of Egyptian intelligence officials.

They say the feds have to prove he did something criminal, that he exerted so much official pressure it qualifies as a formal exercise of government power, standards set by the U.S. Supreme Court.

>> the difficulty is untangling what he may have done officially and legitimately from what is alleged here to be criminal activity.

Lurking in this case is the infamous debate clause, legislative immunity for members for performing legitimate business acts of which several are I believe conjoined in these charges including things he did with respect to military aid for Egypt.

>> Menendez stepped down last month after charges accused him and his wife of conspiring to take bribes including cash and cars in returns for influence.

He did not attend a classified briefing on Israel last week after colleagues question whether he is a risk to national security.

Chuck Schumer says he has had discussions with Menendez.

>> I've known Senator Menendez a long time, it's truly upsetting but we all know that Senators -- four senators there is a much higher standard and clearly when you read the indictment Senator Menendez fell way below the standard.

>> Menendez is fighting the charges and refused to resign saying I have been loyal to the United States of America but more than half of the Democratic caucus including New Jersey colleague Senator Cory Booker have urged the senator to give up his seat and some want him expelled.

Judge Sidney Stein did not change the terms of the senator's release.

He has posted $100,000 bond and surrendered his personal passport although he is allowed to travel on official business with the permission of the court read the judge said the trial will start May 6 and he warned that if there are any changes in the attorneys he wants to hear about it ahead of time.

The trial date is less than one month before the Senate primary which has already attracted several different candidates and promises to be an interesting race.

I'm end of Flanagan reporting from federal courthouse lower Manhattan, back to you.

>> thank you.

Still no progress on the rwj University Hospital nurses strike after 10 hours of negotiations last night.

Union leaders from the 1700 striking nurses say they were at the bargaining table until 2 a.m. when hospital officials and a federal mediator marking day number eight since they walked off the job demanding mandatory nurse to patient staffing ratios.

Both management and the workers say they did not think it would get this contentious.

The hospital has agreed to salary increases but insists it has some of the best staffing ratios statewide.

As the strike continues nurses remain on the picket line with no pay or health benefits drawing national support from Bernie Sanders who has called for a field hearing this Friday, October 27 in New Brunswick of the Senate health pensions committee.

Sanders is investigating this as part of a rising tide of labor actions and he joins me now.

Senator, thank you for joining me.

You have been involved in labor disputes nationally, some much larger, others smaller.

Why come to New Jersey and bring your Senate committee here for a field team?

>> what is going on is not just a New Jersey issue.

It is in fact a national issue.

They have a major crisis in this country in terms of health care workforce.

We do not have enough doctors, enough mental health specialists and the crisis is acute on nurses.

We have a major nursing shortage so we need to bring young nurses into the profession but retain that we have.

Unfortunately, nurses are leaving the profession in droves because of poor working conditions.

I've talked to the nurses and what they tell me is they love their jobs, they want to take good care of their patients but they are unable to do so because they lack the staffing to provide the proper care.

So what is going on is an issue for the whole country and something the committee has got to explore.

>> you've invited leadership to attend the hearing.

Do you expect them to show up and get to some of these root issues?

>> my understanding is Mr. Madigan will be there.

I'm very appreciative of that freedom one of the questions that I will ask is not just that a couple of years ago they could afford Barnabas to provide a CEO with $17 million in salary but as I understand that they are spending $87 million on traveling nurses.

So they are bringing in nurses at great expense and yet they have not been able to reach an agreement with local nurses for decent nurse patient ratios.

That's an issue we want to explore.

>> will labor disputes not keep happening again and again if the very structure of the U.S. health care system is not addressed?

We have a fee for service model where essentially it is more profitable for hospitals to hire physicians than nurses.

>> you are touching on an issue dear to my heart so let me just say this, the current American health care system is broken, it is dysfunctional.

We are spending twice as much per capita on health care, $13,000 for every man, woman and child.

Twice as much as any other country on earth and yet we have 87 million uninsured, underinsured paying the highest prices in the world for prescription drugs read we have a crisis.

If your question is do we need fundamental reforms, of the American health care system so that it is not designed to make huge profits, insurance companies, drug companies, hospitals, yes we do.

>> should this be left to federal mediators?

There's been criticism from your own colleagues about perhaps exerting your influence as chairman of this committee to get involved in what is essentially a private labor dispute.

>> no, this is not a private labor dispute, this is a national issue.

We have a nursing crisis all over America.

We are losing nurses because these nurses are dedicated, they want to take care of their patients, they are unable to do so.

You've got to get a handle on it and right now RWJ has 1700 nurses, some have worked there for years of their lives and they talk to me about wanting to do their job well unable to do so so this is a national issue and it's taking place in New Brunswick but it's an issue we've got to deal with.

>> that makes me think of what happened with the Kaiser health care workers, we are talking thousands more, 85,000 workers.

Do you draw similarities?

That was a three day strike, these are going on nearly three months now without health care as well.

As you say, which speaks to a much larger crisis in the country.

>> look, all over this country you have workers who are tired of corporate greed.

They're tired of the people on top becoming much richer as they fall further and further behind.

What makes what's going on in New Brunswick interesting is what the nurses are fighting for is the right to do their jobs well.

It breaks their hearts.

Years of their lives when they talk about not being able to take care of their patients the way they were changed to do in the way they want to do.

It is incredibly courageous for them to stand up, go out on strike, not something that is easy, in order to defend the rights of their patients to get quality health care.

>> I know you have called on your colleague, Senator Menendez to resign and you have said public the that a Senate ethics committee investigation should ensue if he does not.

Will you pursue that?

It does not look like he is stepping down.

>> one step at a time.

I have respect for the senator but under the current situation he should resign read >> thank you for your time.

>> thank you very much.

>> thousands of New Jerseyans took to the streets for a rally calling for an immediate and to the deadly war in the Middle East.

Young and old carrying flags and signs and wearing the black and white checkered scarves.

Protesters demanded a cease-fire in the short term but the liberation of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank from Israeli occupation and called out Cory Booker and Bill Pascual for support for Israel, vowing to withhold votes in their next election.

Israel's military ramped up aerial attacks and fired on 320 Hamas targets over the past 24 hours.

In a video statement today Israel's defense minister said they are preparing to hit the group from the air, ground and see President Biden is trying to delay a ground attack in hopes of getting more hostages out and aid into Gaza with 10 Americans unaccounted for and a dire situation for those inside.

Reports say more civilians are dying from lack of food, water and medicine.

20 trucks carrying aid past the Rafah crossing into Gaza as the conflict enters its 17th day.

More than 5000 Palestinians have been killed, more than half are women and children according to officials.

While the death toll after the attacks by Hamas stands at 1400 people.

In our spotlight on business report is offshore wind loses public favor, another controversial green energy source is gaining steam.

Nuclear and hydrogen power where the topic at a public forum, key parts of achieving zero omissions in the state and nationwide but climate advocates are outraged warning fossil fuels will have to be burned in order to create the clean hydrogen.

Ted Goldberg reports.

>> how will we produce enough energy to reach the rest of our goals that will continue to sue us?

>> a question that leaders tried to address today at Boeing University.

New BP president Christine says New Jersey is on its way to replacing fossil fuels with renewables.

>> we have an ambitious goal of 100% clean energy by 2035 read and we are on our way.

>> hydrogen is the fuel of the future and always will be, the future is now.

>> and multibillion dollar investment in hydrogen could push South Jersey to the forefront of energy production in the fuel of the future over the next decade.

Joe Biden announced a $7 million hydrogen project a couple of weeks ago and a mid-Atlantic hub could bring 700 $50 million to South Jersey over nine years make hydrogen development of audible and sustainable.

>> our goal is to get to a place where green hydrogen is less than the cost of diesel.

>> the cost of hydrogen can be prohibitive but that's why this investment is so critical for New Jersey.

>> leaders of the investment pays off in a reinvigorated South Jersey.

>> this was one of the biggest places to make things so one of my goal is to have cleaner fuels in a way that makes this region economically competitive.

13 to 14,000 construction jobs to get the system in place.

A ton would be right here.

>> there is concern about fossil fuels needed to create some forms of energy from hydrogen.

>> we need to make sure were making at the right way based on renewables.

We have to be careful we are not fracking more gas in Pennsylvania.

>> and showed a lack of academic integrity because this was a PR show for false climate solutions read >> some say politicians should expand solar and when power which provides New Jersey with 8% of the electricity needed statewide.

Others say it is too soon to eliminate nuclear which gives New Jersey 41% of its juice.

>> it's impossible to burn all of this without cope pollute and so every year.

Emitting particulates and heavy metals is not clean.

>> solar and wind will not satisfy that so you need -- the understanding is nuclear will be the only way to achieve that is one perspective.

>> Deputy Commissioner Sean says people in New Jersey agree with the state going green.

It is the specifics that cause problems.

>> whether wind farms you will see them from your house or whether the new infrastructure that is necessary to support hydrogen or ammonia or the emerging technology, how that will affect my day today.

>> I want to know what wealthy community is going to accept production and combustion of these chemicals in their neighborhood.

>> hydrogen power could use existing infrastructure in New Jersey.

Old refineries and unused facilities could get new life with a new source of energy I'm Ted Goldberg, and J spotlight news.

>> Spirit Airlines is recovering from flight disruptions this weekend.

The air carrier canceled more than 185 flights Friday through Sunday to conduct mandatory inspections on 25 jetliners.

Spirit gave little information on why or how the planes are being inspected saying in a statement it was necessary out of an abundance of caution.

The air carrier apologize to travelers saying the work will affect customers for several days read many passengers posted their frustrations on social media as they slept at airports and missed their travel plans.

This is not the first time spirit customers have faced major disruptions.

According to the Associated Press the airline canceled more than 3600 flights total this year read on Wall Street stocks open lower as investors increasingly except that higher interest rates are here to stay.

Here is today's closing trading numbers.

South Jersey's largest health system is offering free mammograms and cancer screenings for women in the state, part of virtual house annual outreach during breast cancer awareness month read the hospital is using its 40 foot mobile health man to make the appointments more convenient and break down barriers preventing women from getting the services that they need.

Senior correspondent Joanna reports that the clinic is available for those with and without insurance.

>> mobile programming is the future.

We always expect people to leave their communities of comfort to go to a building to get fair but now we are bringing care to the people.

>> care looks like this truck that contains a doctor's office and is parked outside of Tabernacle Baptist Church in Burlington.

Congregation members are getting free screenings here.

>> every woman should get a mammogram when they are supposed to because breast cancer is serious.

Some women wait until the last minute and it is too late so should be on top of it.

>> church members like Booth who never misses a screening.

>> I work et al.

-- tabernacle.

>> and Anna is not impaired and could not get a mammogram, Pap smear or other screening.

>> it is easy.

You come here, and free.

A lot of people come together, my friends.

It is so nice.

>> they say the program is part of the community focus on health care.

They understand the importance of offering as many rings and actions to care as possible in the first visit, knowing that is when you have the greatest opportunity to reach it percent says Reese Rosen Barry read >> a patient could get a clinical exam, a Pap smear.

We have a nurse practitioner that works specifically for this program so they would not have to come with a prescription and then we do the mammogram, we screen for colorectal screening being referred to a G.I.

consultant or they leave with a sick card.

That way all cancer screenings are done >> importance of screening is even greater because mortality rates are higher than any other rate.

>> women have a higher mortality rates than white women and also a higher mortality rate than other racial groups.

Once a year all women should be getting standard care, mammograms and M.R.I.

's as well especially for those who are at higher risk to get breast cancer and you have dense breasts.

Recommended for screening.

Definitely the age of 40 again to have annual mammograms read Jeannie no Steve access challenge for many which is why sheep archers with virtual to bring screenings to the congregation.

>> a lot of people who are uninsured do not even go to a doctor and especially for mammograms or anything like that, they cannot afford it.

So coming him was just a godsend to have this available to them.

>> you do you need an appointment to be seen here, you can do that by visiting virtual.org/screening.

Get a group of friends and make an appointment for all of you.

In Burlington, Joanna, and J spotlight news.

>> before we leave you tonight, New Jersey hit a major milestone this weekend 10 years of marriage equality.

October 21 marked the decade anniversary of the ruling legalizing same-sex marriage in the garden state.

Former Mercer County assignment judge Mary Jacobson ruled New Jersey's marriage laws violated the rights of same-sex couples and changed forever the lives of many LGBTQ+ couples and their families.

According to Garden State equality the decision became a widely cited fixture in New Jersey law for reasons beyond marriage and in January 2022 Governor Murphy took the measure a step forward enshrining the decision recognizing marriage equality into state law so that same-sex marriage will continue to exist even if the state and federal court cases are overturned that's going to do it for us tonight but do not forget to download the NJ spotlight news podcast so you can listen anytime.

I'm Briana Vanozzi.

For the entire team, thank you for being with us.

Have a great evening and we will see you back here tomorrow.

>> the members of the New Jersey education Association making public schools great for every child.

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Committed to the creation of a new, long-term, sustainable clean energy future for New Jersey.

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We support communities through the corporate giving program, supporting arts and culture related and nonprofit organizations that serve to improve the lives of children, rebuild communities and help to create a new generation of safe drivers.

We are proud to be part of New Jersey.

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♪