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Joanna: Tonight, severe drought.

Weeks without rain, creating dry conditions rape to spawn wildfires.

>> We have never seen in recorded records anything so dry for an individual month or individual two month period.

Joanna: Reproductive rights are front and center in the last week of the presidential campaign and on the floor of the State House, legislators expanding access for women.

>> No one, I mean no one should dictate what another person should do with their body.

Joanna: New Jersey has two black Republicans on the ballot.

Is there a red wave in the black community?

>> They are saying, is it time to give something else a chance?

Joanna: Homegrown.

A Jersey boy turned NBA star is making a name for himself in the cannabis industry.

>> Now we can have these cannabis stores in these communities and there is representation.

At the end of the day, this is a true opportunity for generational wealth.

Joanna: NJ Spotlight News begins now.

♪ Joanna: From NJPBS Studios.

>> This is NJ Spotlight News with Briana Vannozzi.

Joanna: Thanks for joining us.

I'm Joanna Gagis in for Briana Vannozzi.

We start with key headlines.

New Jersey voters are setting records by heading to the polls early.

A whopping 858,000 voters have cast their ballots.

611 were cast by mail.

The remaining 247,000 were cast this weekend at the early in person polling locations that opened Saturday.

In the first day of voting, more people showed up then all in person voters in 2023.

Diving deeper into who is showing up, our analysis of in person voters shows they are closely split between Democrats and Republicans.

Democrats clip -- coming in at 94,000 and Republicans 91 thousand.

60,000 were unaffiliated which is likely where the election will be decided.

If you would like to cast a vote remotely, tomorrow is the deadline to apply for a mail-in ballot.

Is it vote.

nj.gov.

It has been 29 days without rain and while the dry weather has felt comfortable it is leading to wildfires around the state.

The National Weather Service issued warnings that a drop in humidity combined with wind patterns create perfect conditions for fighters.

There is a wildfire in Livingston now in the area Rauch tenant Eisenhower Parkway.

This morning 140 acres burned and 10 structures were threatened.

This state is in a drought watch with portions of South Jersey already and moderate drought and severe drought conditions in much of Atlantic, Burlington and Ocean Counties.

Residents and businesses are urged to conserve water.

>> Fire is the primary danger, the primary concern.

We have seen it in North and South Jersey.

We have them in grasses and auras.

We are adding deal to the mixture as more leaves fall and as grasses continue to dry out in their seasonal pattern.

Add to the fact that it has been so dry, it is a tinderbox.

Joanna: More bad news for care point health, the hair -- the health care system that owns Medical Center, crisis -- Christ Hospital and Hoboken Medical Center Erie of the CEO resigned after less than three weeks on the job.

Sources say care points former CEO will fill in the leadership gap but the hospital has faced a host of financial woes, executives blaming a shortage of state funding.

Others dispute that but one thing is clear, the hospital system is in jeopardy.

Our senior political correspondent will bring us an in-depth look tomorrow.

Today, Jersey City's mayor's head -- said this about the changes.

>> we are doing everything possible to save those hospitals.

There is no guarantee they will be saved but we are working hard to make sure employees get saved and we wind a financial partner to see them through in a way that works for health in Hudson.

Joanna: Last night former President Trump held a rally at Madison Square Garden, where about a dozen speakers took the podium with a host of slurs against Latinos, Democrats and Vice President Harris.

A comedian called Puerto Rico and island of garbage in the Atlantic and made sexual jokes about Latinos in America.

Former Fox anchor Tucker Carlson mock Vice President Harris, who is Indian and Jamaican.

He said she would be the Samoan first Malaysian low IQ former California prosecutor Elected president.

Another speaker called her the antichrist and Trump once again called Democrats the enemy from within.

The comments brought sharp criticism from leadership around New Jersey including assemblywoman Yvonne Lopez, who is Puerto Rican, and called the comments racist and unacceptable.

New York's Mayor and assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin denounced the rhetoric.

While divisive language continues to dominate the campaign trail, New Jersey lawmakers dealt with another hot button issue driving the conversation this election season, abortion.

Four reproductive health care bills were up before the health committee that among other things would increase funding streams to pay for abortions.

Senior correspondent Brenda Flanagan was at the hearing today that turned contentious.

>> It's not about your personal opinion.

This is not about faith.

I'm a Catholic woman.

>> Senator Teresa Ruiz waded into a volatile mix of politics and religion that riled a committee hearing where lawmakers heard emotional testimony on her four bills.

To enhance abortion health care.

She referenced Donald Trump's controversial rally at Madison's -- Madison Square Garden and warned of potential government intrusion into private health care decisions.

>> After this weekend and the rhetoric, the fascist remarks that were made, no one should walk into the doctor's office with this third party engaging in a conversation that that woman should have specifically and solely with her doctor.

>> I'm unapologetic.

We are not fascist bigots.

>> This antiabortion lobbyist condemned the bills and praised the Trump rally, tangling with committee chair, Senator Joe Vitelli.

>> If you listened to the rally, I am speaking -- >> You are not.

You are talking about the rally.

>> Democrats in New Jersey are obsessed with abortion.

They cannot get enough of it.

>> The bill package would expand reproductive health care New Jersey.

It creates a fund with $10 million to strengthen access to abortion services for New Jersey and out-of-state residents, creates an income tax donation checkbox so folks can donate to the fund, requires medical providers to get written consent before releasing health care records and requires four year colleges to implement health care service plans with 24 hour access to students.

>> We are trying to ask the committee, stop.

Go back to the beginning and respect human life.

>> Our government is failing women.

By actively promoting abortion.

I appeal to your sense of decency and humanity and ask you stop the obsession with abortion.

>> Health care advocates say New Jersey needs more funding.

>> We know there is not an influx of donations to meet the need.

Abortion funds are drying up.

The rage donations that happened after Dobbs, donations are not there.

>> Roxanne is with the primary abortion provider for South Jersey that sees 4000-5000 patients each year, one in four from states where abortions are restricted or banned.

>> There are more people asking for funding help them there is funding available.

Opening up avenues for that is necessary.

>> New Jersey's access fund reported a 700% spike in funding requests and patients served since Dobbs, many traveling to New Jersey.

>> The funding we provide patients is crucial to maintaining safe abortion access For those who turned to New Jersey as a safe haven.

>> Comments from Senator is predictably followed party lines.

>> When you use the terms funding, it is about using my money, or other People's Money who don't have the same opinion or maybe have a stronger faith.

I don't think it is fair.

>> No one, I mean no one, should dictate what another person should do with their body.

>> These are gut wrenching, life changing decisions they make.

I have never met one person who takes for granted the they could -- the fact that they could have access to one.

>> The package of bills passed mostly along political lines In a debate that has been intensified.

At the Statehouse, I'm Brenda Flanagan, NJ Spotlight News.

Joanna: For the first time in recent history New Jersey has two black Republicans running for Congress.

They represent a growing shift from black voters away from the Democratic Party towards the GOP.

NJ Spotlight News is closely following the races and partnered with Atlantic City focus to dig deeper into why black voters are changing their votes.

The story ran as part of the NJ decides 2020 for reporting fellowship organized by the Center for Cooperative media.

Joining us to talk about the article is its co-author Mark Tyler, the founder and Publisher of Atlantic City focus.

Great to have you with us tonight.

You wrote an article with our health care writer looking at how black voters are shifting to the Republican Party.

What did you find as you looked at the issue, is behind the shift?

>> What I found being behind the shift is there are some black New Jerseyans are dissatisfied with the Democratic Party and they are dissatisfied with the amount of progress that has been made going back as far as the 1960's.

They are saying, is it time to give something else a chance?

Joanna: You included some history in the article which I really enjoyed reading, how black voters started with the Republican party and Abraham Lincoln and over time have shifted over where right now we see about eight out of 10 black voters voting Democratic.

Is the Democratic Party doing enough right now to engage this population of voters?

We saw Andrew Parker the third The Atlantic County Commissioner saying Democrats have really enjoyed the blind loyalty of the black vote and that could be shifting.

Are they doing enough?

>> I don't know that anyone is doing enough, honestly.

I don't know if the Republican Party is doing enough.

I don't know if the Democratic Party is doing enough.

But the sentiment out in the field is that it is time to take a look.

Some people have taken a look and said, this aligns with my personal values so they have gone that way.

Others, saying they had a preconceived notion and they haven't really begun to do the self-examination yet.

Joanna: Billy Prempeh is running in the ninth District against Nellie Pou for the congressional seat once held by Congressman bills -- Bill Pascrell.

He said the Republican Party aligns with his idea of self-improvement and personal responsibility and on the other side, social programs have kept people dependent on the government.

Are those two things mutually exclusive?

>> How so?

Joanna: In other words, do you need to break away from social programs to take on that personal responsibility?

Is that a message that can resonate among voters?

>> I don't know that it is.

I think there is room for both.

Let's be honest, if you look at the state of New Jersey with the housing and the cost of living And all of these various things, something needs to be propped up somewhere.

You are in Newark.

You can't get a one bedroom apartment for under $2000 per month.

If that isn't calling for some type of subsidy, I don't know what does.

However, you don't necessarily , do you say all subsidies?

You don't necessarily do all subsidy but you need to create better opportunities for entrepreneurs and others to actually generate a living wage so they can pay $2000 per month rent, and maybe $3000 per month rent, $1800-$3000 per month mortgage.

Joanna: Are these issues addressed enough?

>> They have to talk about housing.

They have to talk about opportunity.

Those are two things that I think someone poised to win would use.

Joanna: Mark Tyler, founder and publisher of Atlantic City focus.

In our spotlight on business report, Al Harrington made a name for himself in the NBA playing for the Denver Nuggets and while he had a world of success as a player, his next venture is navigating the cannabis industry as a dispensary owner.

Ted Goldberg asked Harrington how he made the transition and how his grandma lent inspiration along the way.

>> Al Harrington just opened up the third recreational dispensary in Hoboken.

>> We have vaporizers, indica hybrid, it is good times, kicked back and lights out.

>> The shop is unique for a few reasons, mostly that it is owned by a 16 year NBA veteran with the perks that go with it.

Including a collaboration to sell cannabis produced by hall of famer Allen Iverson.

>> It is taking advantage with relationships.

If you look at Coca-Cola and Pepsi, they collaborate with entertainers and athletes.

There is a reason.

>> Before he was a first round pick Harrington was a Jersey kid and he said cannabis was not his style.

>> I had cannabis users and my family.

They were always shunned.

They were the outcasts because they did that.

So it was something I was afraid of them stayed away from.

>> That changed late in his NBA career.

>> I had a surgery that turned into an infection.

I almost died from it.

After my seventh cleanup of my knee I was in a room all groggy and this lady walked in that was with my partner in this company, and she was like why are you taking all of these drugs?

Why don't you try CBD?

I can get you some tinctures.

>> E recommended smoke to his grandmother who suffered from glaucoma.

>> I said this is marijuana.

She said reefer?

You are trying to get me to smoke reefer?

I'm not going to be smoking reefer.

I said, it will be our secret.

I went to check on her and she was downstairs crying reading the Bible.

>> Viola and his grandmother's name, is the name of his business.

Harrington says it has been a roller coaster ride since he started the business.

>> Understanding the regulatory environment is one of the biggest challenges.

It was left up to interpretation.

They are saying that way is no longer good enough so you have to reverse it so one of the $100,000 to change that.

>>'s journey took a few years and included gentle persuasion from people and politicians.

>> It took a lot of convincing that adding the store would not ruin the beauty of what is on the street every day.

They didn't want any interruptions.

They didn't want any riffraff, people being shot or robbed because they are buying cannabis.

>> Harrington is a rarity in the cannabis industry, because so -- not just because he is 6'7" but also because so few dispensaries are minority-owned.

He said it is important to have representation in the industry.

Harrington -- >> 85% of drug arrests in the black community are cannabis related.

Now we have stores where there is representation because at the end of the day, this is a new opportunity for generational wealth.

>> Harrington wants to represent New Jersey and his store features a local artist.

>> It was important for me to do things that are New Jersey out of the gate.

Here is the Statue of Liberty.

She has been standing all day on wants to relax.

>> Harrington just received a licensed open dispensaries in New York State and continue honoring his grandmother.

Joanna: A startling number of New Jersey students tested below grade level since the pandemic.

The Murphy administration put an emphasis on high-impact tutoring.

The New Jersey tutoring corps is a key partner.

They work with students one-on-one or in small groups of up to three students in literacy and math.

Here to share more details is the New Jersey tutoring corps CEO.

Great to have you on the show.

Today, your organization, the New Jersey tutoring corps, released data About your high-impact tutoring and New Jersey schools over the last school year.

What did that report find?

>> The report found that high-impact tutoring works, first and foremost that is the key finding.

The data to support that is both quantitative and qualitative.

Quantitatively we found At our scholars, we refer to our students as scholars, in mathematics, started with 4% of scholars grade level proficient in math.

At the end of our cycle 26% were grade level proficient in math.

In literacy, we started with 5% grade level proficient and closed with 30%.

In addition to grade level proficiency, because some of our scholars and a 15-25 week program are two or three grade levels behind are not going to attain grade level proficiency, but they demonstrated significant growth and that metric is equally important.

Joanna: A lot of these students were impacted by COVID learning loss.

New Jersey schools, especially in more urban areas, have seen students grade levels behind far beyond, before COVID.

The study was conducted by a third party and I'm curious how they evaluated the growth since your organization started the tutoring.

>> Every cycle is eternally -- externally evaluated by a researcher.

We provide her with our quantitative and qualitative data.

She analyzes it using psychometric principles and gives it back in the form of a report.

The report, we don't change anything in the report, we add graphics to it.

The reports are issued to the public through social media, a media release.

They are on our website.

We are completely transparent in our program and that is critically important to us.

We are a recipient of state funding, a recipient of philanthropic funding.

It is very important to us and it is a key of competency of our -- key core competency of our program that our data is transparent.

Joanna: Do these results you are seeing in the third party report, do you expect they will translate to higher test scores for students and higher grades for students?

>> Definitely.

If you are a scholar who was not grade level proficient and you are in let's say fourth grade, how are you going to do well on your NJSLA assessment?

How will you do well in your report card in math or literacy if you are not grade level proficient?

When you are grade level proficient you will demonstrate much higher results.

For those who are two or three grade levels behind who demonstrated significant growth, they will do better on their state assessment and their report card grades.

Breanna: We know Governor Murphy has put a huge emphasis on literacy and improving test scores.

You are working in math and literacy but you mentioned at the top that high-impact tutoring works.

In just a few seconds, why does it work?

>> It works primarily because of the 1-1 relationships we form with our scholars.

We follow tenets for high impact tutoring.

one of them is consistency.

The same scholar working with the same tutor throughout the program.

2-three times per week I'm a 30-60 minutes per session and the ratios are so small, they make a huge difference.

Joanna: This is happening within the school day.

Catherine, CEO of the New Jersey tutoring corps, thank you.

That does it for us.

If we -- you want to know the candidates running in your district, check out our podcast where we go one-on-one with the candidates running for the 12 congressional seats up for grabs and the only U.S. Senate seat on the ballot in New Jersey.

Download the series wherever you listen and hear why they think they deserve your vote.

I'm Joanna Gagis.

For the entire team, 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.

NJM, we have got New Jersey covered.

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♪