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Briana: Tonight on NJ Spotlight News, multiple sexual assault charges.

Two corrections officers are arrested for abusing a juvenile girl at a correctional facility in Bordentown.

>> The conduct alleged has no place anywhere in New Jersey.

Briana: Election day is one week away, and New Jersey is home to one of the closely watched swing districts in the country.

We are breaking down all of the speculation.

>> The question you want to watch for is how are we doing in those blue states, is of any in Michigan.

Briana: Also, the rhetoric continues to create a vision at all levels of government.

One town ways in whether to keep their counsel nonpartisan.

>> Is not just the ballot commit to complete change of the process, primary bosses, party bosses.

Party money.

Briana: New Jersey farmers grapple with severe drought as the state closing historic dry spout continues.

Lee: we have a well that we put in in 1997 for this type of situation, that we never anticipated having to meet Ed for this level.

Briana: NJ Spotlight News begins right now.

♪ >> from NJPBS Studios, this is NJ Spotlight News with Briana Vannozzi.

Briana: Good evening and thanks for joining us on this Tuesday night.

I am Briana Vannozzi.

We begin with a few key headlines.

First, there's more allegations of abuse within New Jersey's correctional facilities.

Two Senior Corrections Officers are being charged with multiple counts each of sexual assault and official misconduct.

According to Attorney General Matt Plotkin today, the officers, 53-year-old Gary Nieves of Burlington city and 30 five-year-old William Young of Marlton, are facing criminal charges for alleged repeated sexual assault and illegal sexual contact with an 18-year-old female inmate who was under their supervision.

This at the state's only female juvenile correction facility located in Bordentown.

According to the complaint, the alleged incidents took place within shared spaces within the facility and within the victim's living quarters.

If convicted, they could face up to 10 years in New Jersey state prison for each sexual assault and official misconduct counts.

Attorney General Platkin said the state will not tolerate people in positions of power abusing their authority to abuse those in their care.

A.G. Platkin: nothing I can say today can change what happened to this young woman.

We cannot undo what this young woman has endured or what she will continue to experience as a result of what past, but we can do, and what we will do is prosecute these cases to the fullest extent of the law and work tirelessly to prevent future harm from occurring our state facilities.

Briana: Also tonight have a crackdown on discriminatory housing practices.

The Attorney General and the division on civil rights released a report outlining the findings of a multiyear investigation into unlawful mortgage redlining by Republic First Bank, a regional lender with branches in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and New York, revealing the bank engaged in a pattern of locking home loans in majority Black, Hispanic, and Asian neighborhoods.

Only 6% of the bank's loans during that time went to residents in both communities, a significantly lower rate.

The bank concentrated lenders and mortgage offices in predominately white areas and neglected to advertise in communities of color, ultimately redlining neighborhoods based on race or national origin of its residents.

That is a violation of New Jersey's law against discrimination, or LAG.

Lawmakers close First Bank in 2022 due to its struggling business.

The state has filed a claim with the FDIC to get money for New Jerseyans harmed by the redlining practices.

And it is day four of early in person voting across New Jersey, as we told you last night, there's been record turnout so far.

As of today, more than 15% or one million of all registered voters have already cast a ballot.

That is according to the state division of elections, either by early in person at the polls, which counts for about one-third, or through vote by mail.

Republican U.S. Senate candidate Curtis Bashaw was among those taking advantage of early in person voting.

Encouraging others to utilize the early option.

Today is also the deadline to apply for a mail-in ballot, which you can do by completing an application by completing it to your attorney County Clerk.

They need to be postmarked on election Day, November 5.

Most election officials are recommending using the secure ballot dropbox at this point.

Meanwhile, a group of lawmakers today have their first in a series of hearings on designing the new primary ballot.

The committee was recently created following a month-long fight that ended with a federal judge ruling the so-called party line ballot was unconstitutional.

We will have more on the hearing of the committee tomorrow.

With the election now one week away, candidates are in the final stretch of the campaign.

At the top of the ticket, the focus is on battleground states, like our neighbor Pennsylvania, and depending on which poll you check or believe, the tides may be turning for the major party candidates.

New Jersey, by the way, has not voted for a Republican presidential candidate in nearly 40 years.

That was George W. Bush.

But it is home to one of the few dozen competitive house races in the country.

In the seventh district between Tom Keene Junior and Democratic challenger Sue Altman.

That winner of that race in the closely watched swing district for the term of the control of Congress.

For more on that, we turn to our guest, Micah Rasmussen, who is committed to being with us for the duration of election night.

We just got these numbers today.

15% of all registered voters in New Jersey have already cast a ballot.

How much does that matter in a blue state like this but in a high consequence election?

Micah: It's a great question, because we have not had in person early voting in a presidential race before.

We instituted it in New Jersey in 2021, and to be honest, it has been pretty lightly used in the three years since then.

If the first time we are using it in a presidential race, being heavily used.

Vote by mail is also being heavily used.

The one thing we can tell you is Republicans are more engaged in early vote this time.

I think Trump has not disgorged his supporters from -- discouraged his supporters from early voting.

He has encouraged than this time.

We seen a lot of Democrats early voting as well.

It's not overwhelmingly Democrats, so there's not much we can tell.

We don't know how independent votes are.

We don't know if there are Republican defections.

All we know at this point is there's a lot of enthusiasm.

Briana: From an election standpoint, you want to see that participation at every level, but for someone tracking it or analyzing it, it is definitely more difficult.

What else are you looking for, election night both nationally and in New Jersey?

Micah: So the battleground states across the country are the ones that are really hard to tell what is going on.

We can start to see some movement in the early vote.

I think Trump has had more success with the early vote in places like Arizona, Nevada, North Carolina, and to a lesser extent, Georgia.

The question at this point that you really want to watch for is, how is he doing in those blue wall -- how is Harris doing in those blue wall states, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin.

Just by the barest of margins.

Briana: He still has more path to victory, it seems, than she does.

Micah: Absolutely, and every one of those Sunbelt states he picks up his one he can win without a blue wall state.

Briana: Let's bring it back home here.

Obviously the Altman-Kean race has taken up a lot of the oxygen for us.

What do we expect there?

There's been a lot of campaign spending, aggressive media ads in the last couple of weeks.

Micah: Yeah.

Altman picked it up at the end by showing in the polls that she is within a point or two, she has attracted national Democratic money, a late investment in her race.

A lot New York ads are being fought on her behalf.

That money has been there on the Republican side for Kean before, but there's really a recognition on the part of both parties that this is a winnable race.

What I think we are watching is how big of a vote does Trump get who are does Harris get out of get district?

Kean is doing as well in the national race.

I think if you see Trump do well, that will bode well for Kean, he will get swept into that.

If Harris get the baby the district, there's not a big lift for Harris or Trump, but if somebody gets a big vote, then they could pull that member of Congress, the candidate, with them for the house.

Briana: How does that affect a race for U.S. Senate between Andy Kim and Curtis Paschall?

-- Bashaw?

Micah: You are dealing with that million voter advantage Democrats have come and that is the one race that is the toughest for Republicans.

You mentioned how long since we have voted for a Republican for president.

It's been a long as it for the 7 -- longer for the Senate, since 1970 was the last time.

The statewide race, you have to respect that I who makes a go of it, as Curtis has, but Andy Kim certainly have the wind at his back.

As long as he's doing as well as the generic Democrat were better, and the pre-election polling, the small amount we seen so far, is he is running ahead of them, and he should be OK. Briana: Micah, we will see you Tuesday for a long night, and make sure you keep it right here for NJ Decides 2024 election coverage, we are live, fanned out across the state, and campaign headquarters, and we will have in studio analysis with Micah and others, next Tuesday, November 5, right here on NJPBS, also streaming on our YouTube channel and our digital sites, until the very last race is called.

As the election approaches, voters in West Windsor are facing a critical choice, whether to switch local elections from nonpartisan to partisan and let candidates run under a party banner.

The Mercer County town is part of a minority group in a stake in a still operating under a nonpartisan system.

Those against the ballot measure state as part of what makes local government so efficient, while those in favors tell Senior correspondent Joanna Gagis they believe the clarion candidate's affiliation will make global elections more transparent.

Ben: People want to know if there candidates are Democrat or Republican or otherwise.

Joe: West Windsor has done this for over 30 years.

Joanna: West Windsor is a town divided.

One was to change to make it partisan, by having candidates indicate which part they affiliate with on the ballot.

They recently launched a grassroots effort to add on the ballot.

Grace: It is a simple ballot measure.

It is not change the way our government operates.

It simply allows voters to see when they go to the ballot in November whether they are Democrats, Republicans, independent, or other.

It also ended students -- it also introduced a primary system, which we believe is critical.

Joanna: Grace Power, who is spearheading the effort, gives them nine months to get to know candidates rather than the two months now.

Joe Charles is helping to lead the effort to keep West Windsor nonpartisan with a no vote.

Joe: It is not a simple labeling of Dior are on the ballot, it is a complete change to the election process, which introduces primary bosses, party bosses that choose the candidates, and party money.

And if you look at what happens in virtually all of our neighboring towns that have elections, what you end up with are candidates that run uncontested in the primary election and uncontested in the general election, so voters end up with no choice on the ballot, because the voters do not pick the candidate, party bosses do.

Joanna: And he is head of the no vote effort and says they are already seeing the influence of party money in this effort, from party bosses in Mercer and Hudson and the New Jersey iron workers in South Jersey, a union with ties to gubernatorial candidate Steve Sweeney.

Andy: Having money come from outside, especially from party lines, there's a reason for that.

There is going to be a quid pro quo somewhere.

If I'm elected because you gave me $5,000, I know there will be a phone call down the road.

I don't want that in our township.

Grace: There has been a lot of attribution that this is about party bosses and ensuring that one party has control, and it is not about that.

It is about giving voters a critical piece of information, as we knock on doors, Democrats, Republicans, unaffiliated, they are all pretty surprised to learn that this information is not on our current local ballot.

And this is information we want to share.

Joanna: But there is big money behind this that is tied to the New Jersey biggest power bosses, no?

Grace: Yes, look, political campaigns are expensive.

We have to get the word out.

All of our contributions are publicly disclosed.

There is no dark money get everything is done on the up and up.

Joanna: Lupo and Charles say their group is made up of Democrats, Republican, and independents, who want to get the nonpartisan functioning of the government in place.

Joe: Two who ran together last election, one the Republican, one a Democrat, they ran to get -- together on the same ticket, right, just because they may see differently on national issues, that is not impact their ability to work locally on local issues.

Joanna: He says Just look to Washington.

Joe: Everything is Democrat versus Republican, nobody wants to work together, it is gridlock, right?

So if we can work together, regardless.

Joanna: Ben Finkelstein is with a yes vote, points to 80% of municipalities that already have partisan elections and in fact voter turnout.

Ben: Research has shown in partisan elections, voters have additional confidence because they have better understanding of the candidates, especially in off year elections, that off year folks will show up to vote.

Joanna: Both sides feel that they get out the vote will end in their favor.

I'm Joanna Gagis, NJ Spotlight News.

Briana: The Philadelphia region just broke a 150-year record, the longest streak of consecutive days without any measurable rain.

That dry spell includes New Jersey, which is set to experience the driest October on record.

Large chunks of the state are still under moderate and severe drought.

The dry, warm weather has created the perfect environment for wildfires.

Several hundred have ignited since last month.

Several new fires just since this weekend alone.

The New Jersey Forest Fire Service has placed all 21 counties under very high fire danger, and the state is still asking residents voluntarily conserve water.

The situation is creating a number of challenges for farmers in the Garden State, who are doing their best to cope with the conditions, even if their crops are not.

Ted Goldberg reports.

Ted: The ongoing drought is posing problems for New Jersey's farmers, whether they grow feed for animals to -- >> I've never seen it this dry -- Ted: Or cranberries.

>> This is the worst we've seen here.

Ted: The reservoir at Stephen Lee's cranberry farm is 17 below its normal line.

Stephen: we are 30 days without any substantial rain amounts.

Ted: And the pond looks more like a dust bowl.

Danielle: We have not had any measurable rainfall -- Fred: In more than two months.

Danielle: Yeah.

Even before that, very dry.

Ted: Danielle and Fred Wainwright have more than 200 head of cattle and 80 turkeys at Clover Valley farm.

Danielle: Behind us, should be green pasture.

This is all dried up pasture.

Fred: You can see the cows trying to get everything they could out of it.

Very little green is trying to grow out of it.

Ted: They estimate that because of the drought, their losses are in the tens of thousands of dollars.

Having to pay for food after not being able to grow enough of it.

Danielle: It just hurts our bank account that we have to go buy seed elsewhere when we we've already put in the expenses of the fertilizer, the seeds to plant crops this spring.

Ted: The driest two-month period in the state history is also affected the state's supply of cranberries.

Lee says he has avoided the worst of it thanks to prior planning.

Stephen: We have a well we put in for this type of situation, though we never anticipated having to need it to this level.

We spent more money on diesel fuel probably in the last few weeks than we have probably in the last three weeks than we have the entire year thus far.

Ted: But not every cranberry farmer has been so lucky, and Lee, like others, is hoping for rain to break the dry spell.

Stephen: We got to have water to fly to protect for winter.

What we've done is going back and install our sprinklers to go back to protect from drought , number one, but potentially have to use the sprinklers to be able to protect in the wintertime, when it gets very cold.

Because unless we get some substantial rain event over the next couple of weeks, we will have a challenge for next year's crop.

Danielle: When the rains do come, we just need a slow, steady rain, we don't need a monsoon, because the rays will just run off the fertilizer.

Ted: The grounds put the state at much higher risk for wildfire, something we is very concerned about.

Stephen: The other side of Apple Pie Hill or Chatsworth.

It may not stop until he gets to Garden State Parkway, because it is so dry.

The area that we are in, the pinelands National Reserve, is so dry that it would have a detrimental effect on the environment and specifically on the region.

Ted: As for how much longer the drought could last -- David: There are signs that the pattern is going to break down, but it will not break here first.

We will be the more resistant area under the high pressure.

Ted: The dry weather has provided some positives for New Jersey farmers.

Agriculture Secretary Ed Wengryn says it has been good for wind briar -- it has been good weather for winegrowers, and the dry weather has been a boost for Agro tourism.

Sec.

Wengryn : Last fall, it has rained every weekend.

This while we had a sloppy Saturday but the rest of the fall harvest season has been great, so that is an industry that is kind of rebounding of the weather has been mild.

Ted: While that is a good sign for farmers, many of them will be happier when rain starts to fall and washes away this drought.

In Burlington County, I am Ted Goldberg, NJ Spotlight News.

Briana: In our spotlight on business report tonight, the CarePoint Hospital System appears to be in crisis.

The organization owns and operates three hospitals in Hudson County but it is unclear for how much longer.

The system sent warning notices to 2600 employees, notifying them of potential layoffs.

A deal for a Michigan-based company to take over fell through.

Over the last few days, a major reshuffling of upper management within the hospital network.

It is a troubling chain of events for a system that cares for thousands of underserved residents.

Senior political correspondent David Cruz reports on what's next.

Mayor Fulop: you could realistically see three hospitals close here, and that would obviously impact, you know, hundreds of thousands of people here.

David: On the day after the CarePoint CEO abruptly resigned, and on the day that the old CEO was voted back in as the new CEO, Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop, was trying to paint a bleak picture of three Hudson County hospitals and some of the most densely populated and marginalized communities closing, to be replaced by luxury housing?

Given the conflicting interests of entities involved, it's not that far-fetched.

Regardless of how distasteful that may sound to you.

Ms. fisher: We are sitting on valuable real estate, right?

It has everyone brewing on what the alternative uses could be.

It is just on the potential, and that is special interest versus the public's interest, that is what it comes down to.

David: Hoboken Councilwoman Tiffanie Fisher, who chairs the board of University Hospital in Hoboken, has cast a skeptical eye for the mayor's sincerity, given that ownership of the properties, which Hoboken and Jersey City facilities sit, contributed to political action committees with ties to the mayor.

Ms. Fisher: A health care system in the most densely populated, diverse county and state of New Jersey is at risk because a private property owner gutted this system and has pulled money out of it for his own, you know, personal profit.

>> They will probably build condos.

David: Why do you say that?

>> Because that is the state of what is happening here.

>> Hmm.

They are building them all over the place, but I can't see a condo here.

David: If there is a liquidation of assets, these hospitals could be sold and be condos in two years?

Mayor Fulop: That depends on zoning and what is allowed there, but the pressing matter is that there just is not financial viability in the current state.

>> This hospital, is good for me and it's good for all the people.

How do they do it?

How we can do it, it's terrible.

For me, it's terrible, and for all the people that's here, too.

Doug: The state should truly scrutinize a transaction such as this.

I mean, bankruptcy is just a part of it, right?

You either liquidate your assets or you restructure them.

David: Strapped for cash, CarePoint has sent layoff notices to staff, warning them of imminent bankruptcy.

The operator says the state is not holding up its end of the charity care bargain, but auditors found poor management and budget incompetence.

Hudson Regional Hospital sent a letter to the CarePoint board offering a bailout before it is too late.

While the state and Hudson County huddle with local officials to try to figure out a solution, the clock is ticking.

>> For the good folks who need health care and have nowhere else to turn, the good folks who work in health care and put their lives on the line every day, we owe it to both of those communities to make sure we get this right.

David: That's as noncommittal a response as you can get to what officials say it is a crisis.

Meanwhile, we texted Hudson County Executive Craig Guy, we asked if three hospitals in his county were about to shut down, to which he replied, "not on my watch."

Talks, we are told, are continuing.

I'm David Cruz, NJ Spotlight News.

Briana: That's going to do it for us tonight, but before you go, a reminder to download the NJ Spotlight News podcast, so you can listen to us at any time.

I am Briana Vannozzi.

For the entire team at NJ Spotlight News, thanks for being with us.

Have a great night.

We will see you right back here tomorrow.

>> NJM Insurance Group, serving the insurance needs of residents and businesses for more than 100 years, and by the PSEG foundation.

♪