>> Major funding for "NJ Spotlight News."

is partnered by NJM Insurance group.

Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey an independent , licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association.

And by the PSEG Foundation.

Briana: Tonight on "NJ Spotlight News."

Remembering the lives lost in the 9/11 terrorist attack.

23 years later, many first responders are still seeking treatment at the World Trade Center health program at Rutgers.

>> They are heroes.

They have not forgotten first responders.

Briana: Plus, Jersey voters and political experts weigh in on the first and may be only presidential debate.

>> He's aggressive, he lies, he's a very difficult person to debate.

I thought she handled him masterfully.

Every time she laid out a trap, he took it.

Briana: Also, crackdown on ghost guns.

Closing the loop holes allowing those untraceable weapons to be built in the state.

And don't miss the deadline to get your anchor property tax relief.

>> This benefit comes either in the mail as a check or directly to the bank account you've provided information for.

If that's changed, you still want to get your benefit.

.

He's are supposed to begin rolling out in November.

Briana: "NJ Spotlight News," begins right now.

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

Briana: Good evening and thank you for joining us this Wednesday night.

I'm Briana Vannozzi.

We begin with top headlines and honoring the fallen, with September 11 remembrance ceremonies across the state today paying tribute to those we lost in the terrorist attacks 23 years ago.

In Monmouth County, the annual tribute played out in a ceremony at Mount Mitchell scenic overlook in Atlantic Highlands.

.

Clear skies allowed the mourners to look out straight across to the New York City skyline where the twin Towers once stood before a hijacked plane attacks killed nearly 3000 people.

Among them, 750 from New Jersey and 147 from Monmouth County.

Those names were read aloud as they are every year along with the tolling of the bell, and moments of silence to reflect on the tragedy and Howrah it still feels today.

As the anniversary tradition is handed down to the next generation, many of whom were not alive on the attack happened, but will nonetheless never forget.

Also tonight, New Jersey needs to crackdown on loopholes that allow criminals to make homemade guns.

A new report from the state commission of investigation released Tuesday calls on the legislature to update laws to ban the possession of 3D printing technology that creates so-called ghost guns.

They are easy to build, have no serial number, and are virtually untraceable by law enforcement.

Manufacturing and selling the designs for ghost guns is already illegal in New Jersey, but there's no criminal penalty for owning the software needed to make them.

That needs to change and quickly according to the commission, since it's easy to get your hands on 3D printers and the technology, which has also been used to convert other firearm components into magazines with higher capacities.

An SDI investigation found there's been a significant increase in the use of homemade conversion devices known as switches, which can be bought on the black market for as little as $20.

And an update on the story we reported last night.

Firefighters are making progress on that wildfire which broke out in Ocean County earlier this week.

The New Jersey Forest fire service is still on the scene in Berkeley Township working to contain the blaze.

It has not spread further, but it did reach 139 acres.

As of this afternoon, the fire was 80 -- 89% contained.

It was in the areas known as Fisher's pit, but putting it out proved tough because of the fires erratic behavior.

Neighbors outside the perimeter of the fire say there is still a considerable amount of visible smoke in the area, but the state forest fires service is reassuring those in the community it will improve throughout the day.

Camden city Council meeting Tuesday night brought to a standstill after fed up residence started chanting in protest over a controversial vote.

It removes limits on lawyer fees the city will play -- pay for former and current employees.

Local advocates and residents say the ordinance which was just recently put forward will leave taxpayers on the hook to cover massive legal bills for former Camden Mayor Dana read her she was indicted this summer on charges of racketeering, alongside South Jersey democratic power broker George Norcross and others in an alleged scheme to control Camden's waterfront properties.

Council members reportedly had to leave the room for 20 minutes last night after the vote, while people in the audience settled down.

According to members of the Council, the rules will head to the state Department of community affairs for final approval.

As expected, the presidential debate Tuesday night between Vice President Kamala Harris and Former President Donald Trump was must-see TV.

It started with a handshake and quickly turned to a fistfight with Trump on the defensive for most of the evening, and Harris goading him into a flustered performance that even many of Trump's most loyal supporters admitted.

But what matters more is whether the debate will move the needle for undecided voters.

Senior correspondent Brenda Flanagan got reaction from around the state today in this first and only scheduled debate between the candidates.

Reporter: She started by introducing herself to her opponent and then to millions of voters who wanted to know, who is Kamala Harris?

Most analysts think she not only delivered a strong debate performance, Harris also goaded Donald Trump into losing his cool.

Take this exchange on a bipartisan immigration reform bill that Harris claimed the former president deliberately undermined.

>> He preferred to run on a problem instead of fixing a problem.

The people of our country actually need a leader who engages in solutions.

Reporter: The vice president invited viewers to attend a Trump rally speech on immigration and poked him in a very sore spot.

>> People start leaving his rallies early out of exhaustion and boredom.

I will tell you, the one thing you will not hear him talk about is you.

>> We have the biggest rallies, the most incredible rallies in the history of politics.

In Springfield, they are eating the dogs.

The people that came in, they are eating the cats.

They are eating -- they are eating the pets of the people that live there.

Reporter: That stuck with Jersey folks who watched the debate.

>> He said something along the lines of people eating cats and dogs.

That was a crazy line.

>> I feel like she baited him which was great, knowing how he was going to react and knowing that he was not going to have the self-control to stay on point.

Reporter: Political pundits say Harris shifted the dynamics of the debate and put Trump uncharacteristically on the defensive.

>> He's aggressive, he lies, he's is a very difficult person to debate.

I thought she handled him masterfully.

Every time she laid out a trap, he took it.

Every time she laid out bait, he took it.

He went off on wild, insane tangents.

>> I think he showed that level of grievance that you could tell he's been under fire, and sort of wanted to get all of his grievances out.

I wish he would have focused on the border, which is the number one issue in every single pole.

Reporter: Trump again denied he lost the 2020 election and refused to accept responsibility for the January 6 insurrection.

He still had no concrete health care plan to replace Obamacare, just a "concept."

Even Republicans like Marcy admitted -- >> I was hoping to see a little better from Donald Trump.

I look at somebody like Kamala Harris and I think her intentions are all very good.

I don't think she's qualified.

Reporter: Republicans wanted to hear Trump a challenge Harris' record on border security, on the economy, on the Biden administration's foreign policy including the war in Ukraine.

The moderators asked -- >> Do you want Ukraine to win this war?

>> I want to get the war settled.

I know Zelenskyy very well and I know Putin very well.

>> What you think is a friendship with what is known to be a dictator who would eat you for lunch, that can manipulate you with flattery and favors.

Reporter:Reporter: Again, what did voters take away?

>> She got her point across to the biggest audience she's had.

>> The media wants to talk about scoring political points or debate points, which is really irrelevant to the issue of battleground states.

Reporter: State GOP chair Bob you can thinks the debate won't sway voters in swing states that will decide this election.

>> I think the media will portray it as a great, wind which I think she did a very good job.

She just did not do what she had to do to win the election in battleground states.

Reporter: But what about New Jersey?

Jersey reliably votes blue for president, but will undecideds and un-affiliates reconsider their choice in down ballot races?

>> They don't like Donald Trump but they are really upset with the Republican leadership who has at least tacitly given him that support.

Reporter: Monmouth poll director Patrick Murray says this could impact the race in jerseys seventh congressional district where incumbent Tom Kane juniors facing off against Democratic activist Sue Altman.

A bona fide swing district.

But the debate also galvanized voters over abortion.

Influencer Janine Leroux called it Harris' pivotal moment.

>> When she talked about our bodies.

When she talked about reproductive freedom, and that no one has the right to have a say over a woman's body.

Reporter: Trump refused to say whether he would sign a national abortion ban, noting Congress would never pass such a bill.

Harris vowed to make reproductive health care legal everywhere.

>>>> So that was a moment I think not just for women, but I think there were even men, allies, who said you know what?

She's right.

Reporter: laRue says that impacted women on both sides of the aisle.

It certainly motivated one.

Taylor Swift, holding her cat, posted an endorsement of Kamala Harris and urging people register to vote.

She signed it childless cat lady.

Whether this translate to a bump in the polls for Harris, that's TBA.

I am Brenda Flanagan, "NJ Spotlight News."

Briana: In our spotlight on business report, you've only got a couple of days left to get your information up-to-date if you want to receive a property tax benefit.

Applications for this year's anchor benefit are being automatically filed for about one point 5 million eligible residents who previously received them, but the deadline is Sunday, September 15 for renters and homeowners whose personal info has changed.

These are things like your mailing address or banking details.

For more on the important dates and how to check your application status, I'm joined by John Reitmeyer, our budget and finance writer.

We always have a lot of questions about anchor property tax relief.

Let's start with this.

Sunday, if you have applied before but you've had an address change and you've moved, do you need to reapply or can you update your information?

John: The Department of treasury would have sent out confirmation letters to the people in this group.

You want to check and make sure the personal information is correct.

If it is, you pretty much don't have to do anything.

If you have moved or changed your bank account, interest rates have been pretty good so may be opened a new account to take advantage.

The reason that's important, anchor benefits though out either through a check or bank deposit.

It is not like the old homestead payment.

This benefit comes in the mail as a check or directly to the bank account that you've provided information for.

These are supposed to begin rolling out in November so you want to give them either the new address for the check should be going to or the new bank account that you have opened since the last time.

Briana: What about if you did not apply previously, but now you are eligible?

John: There's a whole other group and that is the group that has until November 30 to apply.

This group would be likely eligible.

The program operates with a little bit of a lag from when you will receive the benefit to when the qualification is based off of.

It is based on where you lived and how much money you made during the 2021 tax year.

You will have to go back and look from a few years ago, but if you think you are eligible, there are income, residency and other qualifications.

If you think you meet them, treasury may have sent them an application or information directing you to apply online.

That's the second group.

There is the 1.5 million automatically enrolled in that group has to check to make sure personal information is correct as it appeared.

This other group is giving information to apply.

They need to go through the process of applying to get that benefit, rolling out in November.

Briana: September 15, November 30.

Checks will start going out in November on a rolling basis.

How much is the property tax benefit this go around?

Remind us, why are they using tax filings from 2021?

John: A lot there.

The reason that there is this backlog is there have been times when the program anchored or before it homestead has been off scheduled.

There are years where the state budget has a lot of money and years where it doesn't have money.

A gimmick that has been played over the years is when a state budget is a little lean, they might push anchor into the next quarter or half year.

That has happen a number of times now.

They are still catching up to prior years.

The income standards are funded out of the budget.

The max you can make is $250,000.

There's a rolling amount.

If you are at the lower level which is up to 100 $50,000 as a homeowner, you can get $1500 back in anchor benefits.

If you are in the $150,000 to $250,000, you get $2000.

Seniors get an extra 250 on all those numbers.

If you are 65 and older, homeowners will get an extra $250 to their benefit, senior renters would get the extra as well.

Briana: You should get an extra benefit for having all those numbers memorize.

[LAUGHTER] John Reitmeyer for us.

Thank you.

Folks can go to our website.

You have an article published today with all the information and links so folks can apply.

John: And the phone number to call if you need to talk to somebody as well.

Briana: John Reitmeyer, thank you so much.

>> Support for the business report is provided by Riverview Jazz.

Presenting the first ever Jersey City Latin Jazz Festival on Saturday, September 14 at exchange Place Lazo in Jersey City.

Performance schedule and details can be found at the website.

Briana: As we pay tribute to the lives taken on September 11, we are reminded many heroes emerged after the attacks, too.

Among them, medical workers at the World Trade Center health program at Rutgers, one of just six nationally that served 9/11 first responders and survivors.

Senior correspondent Joanna Gagis has the inspiring story of the doctor who leads the Rutgers team and one of the many survivors who saved -- say their lives have been touched.

>> When the north tower collapsed, I happen to be by the atrium by the marina.

The fireman's radio was going off and it said Mayday, I'm trapped.

I looked at the fireman.

I was in a suit.

He was in a full blown out Scott pack and had a tool.

We penetrated the Wintergarden atrium.

We found two workers and a woman on a backboard that was pretty banged up.

Reporter: While most where running away, Michael, a Secret Service agent at the time, ran toward the danger on September 11, 2001.

He and the fireman he assisted were able to save those trapped people just after both World Trade Center towers had fallen.

It was during the rescue mission he sustained severe injuries.

>>>> I guess you could call it a rupture of my cervical spine.

From there I had two torn rotator cuff's left and right.

Reporter:Reporter: As a federal worker he received medical care immediately through the Department of Labor, but in 2008 he became -- across the world trade center health program and says the care he has received is life-changing.

>> The doctor and her team, they are heroes.

They have not forgotten first responders.

Reporter: The World Trade Center health program is one of six in the New York metropolitan area serving those who responded that day and those affected in the weeks that followed.

In total, there are some 400,000 people who were exposed to toxins at Ground Zero according to the center.

>> We do the best we can to keep our patients healthy, physical health and mental health.

Reporter: As the years have passed, the health needs have changed says the director.

>> Initially we saw acute problems, mainly upper and lower respiratory, things like asthma and sinus problems.

Acutely we saw posttraumatic stress disorder.

More chronically developing into sleep apnea, gastroesophageal reflux.

And now we are seeing a lot more cancer and more complicated mental health problems.

Reporter:Reporter: The program is funded federally through these a drogue act and allows them to monitor patients over the course of their lives, looking for illness that may develop or scheduling additional surgeries, as was the case for him recently.

>> I'm grateful for the program and grateful for the fact that I think Congress has supported this and continues to support this because they are doing amazing work for people who, of course there are initial injuries, but for some of these people that are having long-lasting injuries that will go on for many years and sometimes get forgotten about.

People like Dr. you to sin are not going to forget.

Reporter: Memorials around the state and the nation remembering the lives lost and countless acts of Avery, today Dr. Iris will be among those honored.

She will receive the service above self award from the officers Association.

>> I'm feeling really humbled because I do work really hard.

I'm grateful that I have something I can do.

And in this crazy world, I am able to help people.

>> I'm so proud of her.

She's probably one of the greatest people I know.

And I know a lot of people.

She puts everyone else in front of herself.

She's a hero with a stethoscope.

Reporter: A hero whose work will continue to come -- for years to come.

I'm Joanna Gagis.

Briana: Meanwhile, the New York City fire Department today released a new alarming statistic that more FDNY first responders have died from 9/11 related illnesses than were killed on the day of the attack.

More than 370 have died since then.

Many more are receiving or will need to receive critical care.

.

One retired Jersey City police officer who was at Ground Zero immediately after the attack is speaking out about a lapsed bill in New Jersey known as the Bill Ricci act.

It provides disability and retirement benefits to 9/11 survivors, but the enrollment period has expired and a new bill is needed to give others a chance at getting benefits.

Val Velasquez wrote an op-ed for the USA Today network asking the state to do right by those affected and she joins me now.

Thank you for joining us and thank you for your service.

You rightly pointed out in the piece that you wrote that decades later, first responders are still getting illnesses that New York has done quite a bit to prop up those civilians and first responders.

But that New Jersey is lacking.

What do you want lawmakers to know?

Val: I want lawmakers to know and to read the original Bill Ricci bill that was put out in 2019.

They put a cut off date of 2021 which gave two years to 9/11 responders to fill out paperwork stating that they were there at 9/11 at some point, and if they get any illnesses, to reach back and they might be entitled to a disability, accidental disability pension.

Many people might have received that.

I could tell you every State police trooper I have spoken to, and I have spoken to hundreds, and I help them enroll in the victims compensation in the health program.

A few have passed away.

They never received that.

Briana: So these are retirement disability protections, as Regis said, folks are needing longer and longer because some of these illnesses are not being diagnosed until even today.

So what has that done for civilians, first responders, what has that meant for folks being able to get the health care that they need?

Val: So what happens is you get enrolled in the world trade Health Center program and you are certified with certain conditions.

There are 69 cancers per the number one is skin cancer, basals, respiratory, then there is asthma, sinusitis, bronchitis, COPD, and acid reflux is really bad.

Myself included.

I've been hospitalized four times this year with stuff stemming from acid reflux and Gerd.

PTSD is throughout on both sides.

Police and fire.

This disability pension would help them just a little bit and help their families mostly if they were to pass away from a 9/11 illness.

If they pass away from a 9/11 illness, their families will not receive benefits.

They are dropped.

Briana: Do you feel like yourself and other first responders have been forgotten?

Val: We have totally been forgotten in New Jersey.

And all around actually.

Briana: Val Velasquez is a retired Jersey City police officer who responded to Ground Zero on 9/11.

Thank you so much.

Val: Thank you very much.

Please, let's get this passed, we need it.

Briana:Briana: That's going to do it for us tonight.

But before you go, a reminder to download the NJ Spotlight News podcast to listen to us anytime.

I'm Briana Vannozzi.

For the entire team at "NJ Spotlight News" thank you for being with us.

Have a great night.

We'll see you back here tomorrow.

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

RWJ Barnabas health.

Let's be healthy together.

And New Jersey realtors, the voice of real estate in New Jersey.

More information is online at NJrealtor.com.

>> I'm Gloria monks.

2024 president of New Jersey realtors.

Whether it's guiding homed buyers or securing space for buyers, New Jersey's have been helping prove illustrate -- real estate transactions.

No matter your unique needs, there is a real estate agent for you.

Learn more at NJrealtor.com/find.