>> Tonight on "nj spotlight news," your voice, your vote.

With every seat in the legislature up for grabs next week, parental rights is one of the holt-button topics that could be driving folks out to the polls.

>> People are generally more concerned about turning out their base.

For republicans that's been focused a lot on parental rights and parental control as an issue to rally the base.

>> Also pro-pal stillian protests continue.

-- pro-Palestinian protests continue.

Calls for a cease fire as the death tolls con to hide.

Plus, closing Ed ma mahan.

>> It's a crumbling facility.

In order to provide an appropriate facility we felt TV necessary to move at least on a temporary basis.

>> After years of violence and sexual assault abuse allegations an exclusive look at the infamous women's business and the changes being made to help think The women go on.

And honoring sakia Gunn.

We remember the stabbing tragedy and leg sthoif queer teen murdered over a decade ago.

>> Everyone is going to know who she is.

>> "Nj spotlight news" begins now.

>> Funding provided by the members of the New Jersey education center.

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

>> This is "N.J. spot news."

>> We're in the final stretch of the 2023 election season with candidates pounding the pavement trying to turn out the vote.

Early in-person voting has already begun.

Governor Murphy placing his ballot on Saturday.

The first official diof in-person voting.

Locations are open in each county.

Mail-in ballots can now be submitted at drop boxes scattered around each county.

In these final days of campaigning for New Jersey's legislator, one campaign slogan has picked up steam among republicans, parental rights.

It's a topic that our child welfare writer Hannah gross has covered quite a bit.

She's with me now to talk about how parental choice is playing in this upcoming election.

So good to have you sit do you think with me today.

When we hear the term parental control, parental choice, something you've been reported about a lot recently, it's become a battle cry particularly for republicans in this election cycle.

How sit play ought for voters?

What's happening for voters when they hear that term, parental choice?

>> Thank you so much for having me.

Recent polling if F.D.U.

says if voters are primed by asking about parental choice and parental control before they pick which candidate they prefer, they're more likely to favor the republican candidate.

But because there's such a big impact from that priming question it also shows that voters may not already be thinking about parental control.

So it's going to depend if they're thinking about it, what the results are at the polls on election day.

>> And of course the polls is just trying to gauge what's going to happen.

How energized on voters and what is going to bring them out?

What does it mean, when people call for more parental choice and more parental control what are they asking for generally?

>> A lot of this movement has been focused on parental control in schools and more involvement of parents or caregivers which has widespread support when you talk about parents being involved in a children's education.

When you look at some of the policies that fall under this umbrella, especially from the advocates for it on the more conservative right, these policies like getting rid of tbhoorks in school libraries and also notifying parents of a child's gender identity even if the child may not want that, those palsies have for a Les support.

>> So it's something that your reporting shows, once people start to understand what those policies are, we start to see the numbers change in term of their support for it.

Break down late bit what F.D.U.

recently released a poll, can you help us understand what they saw in tems of they presented the issue and where voters really stand?

>> The F.D.U.

poll asked this priming question, do you support parental control?

And after that they asked about candidate preference.

But following this polling from F.D.U.

that njea, the state's teachers union and public policy polling came out with another that looked at the issue that.

Fol found -- that poll found there was not widespread support for book boorns parental notification of gender identity which they phrased as forced outing that would have a negative impact on children.

>> We're talking specifically about LGBTQ+ books, there have been renewed calls to have books banned from public libraries and school libraries.

When we talk about what's going to happen, it's been difficult to gauge how these elections go.

We've seen polls falter in the last few years.

Do we have a sense of whether or not this has been a really strong pull for voters to get out, to be energized enough to get out to the polls when we know there's likely to be low voter turnout?

>> It is likely going to be a low turnout election because it's an off year.

In those low turnout elections people are generally more concerned about turning out their base.

So for republicans that has been focused a lot on parental rights and parental control as an issue to rally the base.

The polling from F.D.U.

has shown that it leads to widespread support among independents.

But it's unclear if these independents will turn out on election day when much of the outreach is focusing on rallying the base.

>> Hannah, great reporting as always.

Thank you.

>> Thank you for having me.

>> To read more about the polling data around parental choice issues, check out Hannah's article on our website.

The parents of Miranda Vargas who was killed in a bus crash in 2018 will be paid several million dollars.

The district also settled with the family of asher majid, who was left injured after the crash.

Social security -- social studies teacher Jennifer Kennedy was also kill in the crash.

The crash occurred when the does bust driver missed his exit on route 0, veered across three lanes of traffic and attempted to cross to the other side of the highway illegally.

The bus was hit by an on coming dump truck.

The attorney for the families said the district should have known about the driver's muddy driving record that included multiple suspensions and five crashes.

The family of the 43 other students on the bus have also sthied dump truck company.

Marching in downtown Newark, sowdz city hall and down to Senator Cory booker's office, Palestinian protesters chanted "from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free."

It's the latest protest led by the Palestinian group.

The group, participating in a week of action is urging Senators bob Menendez and Cory booker to call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and asking for supporters to write in free Palestine or cease fire now on early voting ballots.

Their march comes as Israeli forces have entered their second stage of the war, korkt Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Israel defense forces have pushed deep entire Gaza calling for a complete siege and have continued their stliengs strip.

To date, more than ,300 Palestinians have been killed including women and children.

Israel worn -- warned Palestinians to flee south to Arias previously bombed though communications have been cut off in the region and more than 173,000 have been displaced already.

Israelis also warned to evacuate the second largest hospital in the -- the second largest hospital in Gaza still, a move that's drawn concern from groups that say health care must be protected.

Civilians remain cut off from electricity, food and fuel the United Nations calling the situation more desperate by the hour.

About two years ago governor Murphy ordered the beleaguers Edna mahan correctional facility for women to close following numerous allegations of sexual abuse and violence against the women incarcerated there.

While the closing process has begun, after nearly 75 women were moved to a satellite location last week.

We were given a rare look at the crumbling Edna facility and the new temporary prison they have been moveed to.

I had a chance to speak with the new head of the department of corrections as well as advocates for prison reform about the changes.

>> There were issues with physical infrastructure.

Like, inadequate ventilation.

>> It's burning up.

You do have a fan.

But it's a very small fan.

>> Fafisa and Cassandra both spent time at the Edna Mahan correction call facility for women and know how poorly it was operated.

>> Intermittent access to clean water at times.

As women that's challenging.

Especially, you know, during our menstruation period.

>> To their treatment.

>> Human dignity was not at the forefront.

I was there when officers were very verbally abusive and physically abusive.

>> After numerous allegations of sexual and physical assault, the grnorred or therd facility to be closed.

Last year, 14 corrections officers were indicted on choonches conspiracy and official misconduct following the violent beating of multiple women in the facility.

Last week, that process finally began with around 75 women being moved out of the fa still to a nearby temporary space.

>> The facility as a whole is a crumbling facility.

In order to provide an appropriate physical facility we felt it was necessary to move at least on a temporary basis until the permanent facility is constructed.

>> Bonney is an advocate for incarcerated individuals and has been monitoring Edna for decades.

She's happy to see the new efforts timely making structural changes that are bringing life and dignity to those now at the satellite location.

>> Instead of metal tables and chairs in the day room, there are couches.

There are rugs.

It is much more homey.

Much more comfortable.

>> One of the key goals of opening up this temporary facility was to make it as normative a facility as possible.

As normative as a prison facility can be.

That's from the furniture to the paint to the housing units.

>> How do you ensure when it comes to oversight of what happens in the prison, when it comes to those responsible for these women that there are changes there that we don't see repeats of the accusations from the previous facility?

>> You have to be boots on the ground.

You cannot sit in an ivory tower and expect changes to happen.

You have to have the right individuals in administration working with the population that are buying into why cultural change is necessary and then you have to give them the tools to be able to do that.

So things like body-worn camera and fixed cameras, and having staff accountability.

>> I am not hearing complaints, certainly about sexual harassment.

I'm not hearing complaints about any harassment.

The culture change has been massive.

>> She said she does still hear complaints from the women in mechanics mp security who are still at the original facility, living with the old, decrepit infrastructure.

They won't be moved until the new building is built.

As structural changes are being made there's renewed focus on restorative programs for the women who want to take advantage of them.

>> The addressing trauma, getting ready to re-enter the community themselves job readiness piece.

It's the educational piece.

Everything from securing a G.E.D.

through a bachelor's.

And it's the job readiness folks coming in and the community who also comes in to support.

>> She said outreach programs like that changed the course of her life.

When a rep from a community college spoke to her it offered her something she never had before.

>> A light.

A way out.

Opportunity.

Second chances.

I really understood this is what second chances feel like.

She just said hey, you know, when you guys come home if you give yourself a chance, you know, let me help you.

So you can start to walk into your power.

>> We can see there's a lot of thought being put into what corrections looks like in the state of New Jersey.

>> They have quite a bit of trauma-informed programs.

Education is something that is praised and uplifted.

They are now creating an honors system.

These are the things that you need to motivate people to move on.

>> For all the women still incarcerated there, it'll be a few more years before a new building is construct and they can be relocated.

There's a location, it's not yet disclosed, and plans for the building are in the works.

Projects editor Colleen O'Day joined me on the tours and has more on the history of the 110-year-old Edna Mahan facility in Clinton.

Check out her reporting.

A massive redevelopment project announced in sayerville at the site of a former brownfield.

The announcement comes as leads for the state government announced the brownfield has been almost completely remediated.

A 15-year process that Ted Goldberg explains paved the way for this new mixed use project on Sayersville's water front.

>> Sayersville's past includes pollution and dumping.

The brownfield site south of the Driscoll bridge is one example.

Companies dumped acids and heavy metals for centuries.

>> The bricks used to build the empire state building were made here in seerville.

The pigments for paint in countless homes were made here.

Yet with the decline of these industries, brown spaces were left behind.

>> Recliping formerly contaminated lands is a vital part of a sustainable future.

In New Jersey where a smaller state with a long industrial past but we can't afford to let our space go to waste.

>> A multiple dollar project revitalize the area has endured numerous delays.

Leaders today were still optimistic about the Riverton project, slated to bring businesses and more than 2,000 residential units to this empty-looking area.

By promoting environmental health, we plo promote our economic health.

Because the two are so inextricably link.

>> You look at and temp I Feld, it doesn't seem particularly exciting.

But the future is and the possibilities and the The things that will result from it is.

>> While speakers and leaders had a lot of optimism they were light on specifics.

There's no word when they might break grown and as for the cleanup itself, no word on when it might end.

>> Some Arias of concern are remediated faster than others.

But it's not as though as a site as large as this nearly 500-acre site is con -- that every inch is contaminated.

There are areas that are nearly pleat.

>> But for the well thing to be complete there's still a ways to go?

>> Still some ways to go.

>> They have within remediating the area for 15 years, concentrating mostly on land.

They said the river hasn't been a major target for cleanup.

>> There are near-shore remediation efforts that occur, being in mud flats and areas where the water meets the land.

>> Other parts of the river are being cleaned as part of federal superfund projects.

Some environment 58ists say that's not good enough.

>> Here we are, about to have thousands of new residents and Cust mom cost -- customers coming into the stores an area and we still have a river that's not even begun to be remediated from the heavy metals and the sulfuric acid and other waste.

>> Greg lamo leads the effort.

The lawsuit has dragged on for 14 years without a day in court.

He said national lead has agreed to test the water at some point in the future.

>> It's critical to clean the water because people will still be exposed to certain levels of contamination when they use the river.

Anybody catches fish in the river, that -- those fishes are likely to be inedible.

>> The land is owned by North American properties, and they didn't make anyone available for comment on this story.

Leaders at this news conference encouraged communities to keep applying for funds from New Jersey's brownfields program.

Even while progress is going slow, on current projects.

In seerville, Ted geldberg, "N.J. spotlight news."

>> In our spotlight on business report, the six-week strike by the automobile workers union ended today.

The union reaching a tentative agreement with general motors.

This is the last of the three U.S. automakers to agree to a deal with U.A.W.

The other two, ford motor company and Stellantis, the own over Chrysler, struck deals with the union last week.

Each of the deals include some of the largest gains su secure wid the union in decades from 25% wages with cost of living adjustments to some veteran employees even seeing raises up to 33%.

The ford deal includes 8.1 -- includes $.1 billion in plant investments and profit sharing options and Stellantis agreed to increase the number of plants in operation creating up to 5,000 new jobs.

Planes, trains an automobiles.

No matter which you choose you'll be among a record number of travelers using the port authority's airport, railroads and highways the port authority of New York and New Jersey released their latest numbers showing that 2023 will be the busiest year on record at its airports and nearly 12 million passengers flying in the month of September alone.

That's 3% higher than busiest day on record in 2019.

The path hit its highest traveler numbers since before the pandemic with nearly 230,000 passengers passing thru in one day in September and the tunnels and bridges have continued their average of 10 million drivers at their crossings, a number that's held steady since 2019 though it's down a bit since its peak in August of this year.

And not to be forgotten, the port authority's sea port was the third busiest container port in the nation.

Now turning to the markets here's a look at how stocks closed for the day.

>> This weekend in Newark marked a significant one for folks in the LGBTQ community.

A portion of halsey street was named after sakia Gunn a black lesbian 15-year-olds who have stabbed to death simply because of who she was.

Saturday, friends and loved ones of Sakia celebrated the moment her name was memorialized forever.

>> I'm here in downtown Newark on the corner of halsey and academy streets for the street naming ceremony for Sakia Gunn.

She was an out and proud lesbian who was stabbed at the corner of broad and Market 20 years ago.

It is today the city and county are recognizing her with a section of Halsey dedicated in her name.

>> One, two, three.

>> It was an unusually hot and sunny day in late October but according to Sakia's mother was beams down on everybody.

>> My baby is smiling at everybody on this sunny day.

This sunny day is because of her.

She knows what the world is doing -- not the world but everyone you see here is doing for her right now.

>> Sakia's death also became a flash point for Newark's LGBTQ community stating it could no -- it would no longer live in the shadows and be shunned by society.

A portion of Halsey street is now Sadkia Gunn way.

>> For folks visiting our center, for the community here to walk past and see her name right here where the pride center sits, we strategically did it that way.

>> While her murder took place on the corner of broad and market that corner was already renaped for the city's first black mayor.

Sakia's best friend who held her as she died began to break down as she recognized the significance of what was happening.

>> Everyone is going to know who she.

Is whether it's by accident or on purpose.

By force.

People will see her name.

Now we got the sign, to see her name in lights when the sun goes do un.

-- goes down.

Everyone who walks by.

Rides by.

Going to see her name.

Y'all going to see S akia Gunn's name.

I'm never going to let you go.

>> Mayor baraka, who lost his sister and her partner in another incident shortly after S akia's death, said this type of event is key.

>> We have to do a better job explaining the history to our city.

>> He said he wants the rest of the world to know Newark is an open and inclusive city for all.

As the ceremony drew to a close, reverend Kevin Taylor, director of LGBTQ services, including nearby project wow, a safe space for queer youth, gave the benediction, encouraging everyone to lift up Sakia's name.

>> Maybe one day we honor S akia Gunn way.

Stand up for yourself.

Stand up for your life.

Sakia Gunn.

Say her name.

>> Sakia Gunn.

>> In Newark, I'm Jenna Flanagan for "N.J. spotlight news."

>> Make sure you check out Jenna's podcast where she takes a closer look at the death of Sakia and its impact on the queer community.

Download it wherever you listen.

Don't forget to download the "N.J. spotlight news" podcast.

For the entire "spotlight news" team, have a great night, we'll see you back here tomorrow.

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You can see an urgent care provider 24/7 on any device with our tele-med app, or use our website to book a virtual visit with a medical provider or specialist, even as a new patient.

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