>> Major funding for "NJ Spotlight news is provided in part by NJM insurance group.

Serving the needs of businesses and residents for more than 100 years.

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And by the PSEG foundation.

Anchor: In court today, the suspect accused of killing an NHL star and his brother's order to stay in jail, the judge deeming him a danger to the community.

>> I will choose to to crane -- detained Mr. Higgins pending further outcome.

Anchor: Plus, new research finds an alarming rate for pregnant black women undergoing unnecessary C-sections.

Also, one on one with a New Jersey teacher and pro-Palestinian activist who was shot by Israeli forces while volunteering in the West Bank.

>> Once I got into a clearing, the Palestinians lifted me up and I saw there was blood on my leg so that was the moment where I was like, I was shot.

Anchor: And hurricane Ida victims plea for help after Governor Murphy vetoes legislation that would have offered a temporary pause on mortgage payments.

>> I am at risk of losing my house.

I am at risk.

I am already strapped financially, I am already struggling financially.

This was just a little glimmer and it feels like it is gone.

Anchor: "NJ Spotlight News" begins right now.

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

Anchor: Thank you for joining us this Friday night.

We begin with a few key stories we are following.

The man accused of fatally striking NHL star and South Jersey native Johnny Goudreau and his brother Matthew will remain in jail pending his trial.

A judge today calling the 43-year-old, Sean Higgins, a danger to the community.

Higgins is facing multiple charges including consuming alcohol in a motor vehicle and vehicular homicide in the deaths of the brothers, who were riding bikes on a rural road in Salem County last month before Higgins struck them with his vehicle.

According to new details revealed during his pretrial detention hearing today, Higgins had a history of road rage and aggressive driving.

At the time of the crash, he told police he had had five or six beers that day and was bringing while driving.

He now faces up to 20 years in prison, a sentence the judge said made him a flight risk.

>> I believe the state has convinced the court that there is no amount of conditions or accommodation thereof that I can put in place to assure statutory goals and for those regions -- those reasons I will continue to detain Mr. Higgins.

Anchor: Shakeup in a school district, a school board member resigned from his post following months of protest by parents and community members who demand it he stepped down.

After agreeing to a $2 million settlement with a former middle school settlement who this year claimed in a civil lawsuit she was sexually abused by him.

In a resignation letter to the state appointed school superintendent, he said he was leaving the job, with a "heavy heart" but added he had become a distraction through the latent misinformation spread by a small group of critics.

The Camden school district's bonded reassuring students, families and staff that it is committed to provided a safe learning environment, saying we hope today's news will help our community come together and begin to heal.

Meanwhile, in Atlantic city, the high school principal is being indicted in facing official misconduct charges.

She is accused of failing to report the abuse of the mayor's daughter who earlier this year told school officials she was being physically and mentally abused at home.

The principal and others have denied the allegations.

New research reveals broad racial differences when it comes to delivering a baby by C-section in New Jersey, showing doctors are much more likely to perform unnecessary cesarean deliveries on Black than non-Hispanic white mothers.

In a study of nearly one million births at 68 hospitals around the state, researchers discovered overall, Black were about 25% more likely to deliver by C-section.

The study published by the National Bureau of economic research also finds the gap was whitest between Black and white pregnant mothers who have the lowest medical risks in giving birth.

C-sections are fairly common, about 30% of all babies born in the U.S. are delivered that way according to national data, but they come with potential complications like leading or infection.

They can also impact maternal and infant health.

In a statement Thursday, the first lady, whose nurture NJ program has focused on improving maternal health outcomes, says the research confirms what she found after coming to Trenton in 2018.

That there were "horrific maternal mortality rates alongside racial disparities dictating outcomes."

And we are taking a deeper look tonight at a story we've been covering for months.

What appears to be the beginning of the end for New Jersey's unique ballot system known as the county line.

As we reported last night, a U.S. district judge ordered clerks in Burlington and Middlesex counties to permanently end their use of the county line, which research have shown gives an unfair advantage to party backed candidates at the pole.

There are 17 other counties left to settle lawsuits over the controversial Alex but as Joanna Gagis reports but this is likely a harbinger of what is to come.

>> Its recognition that the line is on its way out the door, the end of the county line as we know it.

And moving toward a fair ballot statewide.

Reporter: The county line, sometimes called the party line, could be a thing in the past in New Jersey.

Two counties, Burlington and Middlesex, have agreed to settle a lawsuit first brought by do New Jersey working families party in 2020.

They suited to abolish the New Jersey ballot design that favors candidates in primary elections.

>> What we established does a strict we can form to the order that the judge put down in his court order ahead of the June 2024 primary.

Reporter: Antonetti miles from the party is referring to the ruling from a federal court.

.

Last year it overturned the line for Democrats in this year's June primary but had no impact on Republicans.

This week's settlement announcement would change the layout for both parties in the counties that have reached a deal.

>> We are pushing for robust democracy nationally and we need to carry those principles to our home state in New Jersey as well.

And of course that applies to both parties.

This is about the will of the voters.

The Constitution starts with "we the people" and this is about empowering voters and ensuring they have their fair voting rights.

Reporter: Yet the representative of the plaintiff's in each of the court cases that says there was strong pushback from county clerks from both parties across the state, filing to have the cases dismissed them as well as from democratic county organizations that wanted to keep the line.

She sees the settlement with the two counties and a settlement announced yesterday with the Middlesex County Democrats as a huge victory.

>> This is a new day for democracy in New Jersey, a new era of politics in New Jersey.

Our plaintiffs are prepared to continue litigating if necessary.

Reporter: Although this records University Professor doesn't think it is likely more challenges will be brought to the court even though Democratic county leaders failed to overturn the ruling on appeal.

>> It doesn't seem like a good use of taxpayer dollars and I suspect most taxpayers would not want their dollars used that way.

I suspect if there are more county clerks choosing to settle at will impact Republicans the same way.

Reporter: She points to research she and other experts have done to demonstrate the impact of county line support which is a process only in New Jersey.

>> If you control for other benefits of the county party endorsement, so boots on the ground to get people to vote, the morning they pour in, you are still looking between a 12 and 17 point advantage just from having the county line.

Reporter: The group America first Republicans of New Jersey posted today they went to federal and state courts asking to be treated the same as the Democrats, unencumbered by the party line in the primary, saying we will not rest until both parties are treated equally and the line is abolished forever more.

Do you think these counties agreeing to settle is an indicator other counties will follow suit?

Do you believe dominoes will start to fall?

>> I believe the writing is on the wall and as you put it, the dominoes will start to fall.

We hope now that these settlements have been approved by the court and they are public that it will encourage the same action from the other litigants.

>> I think if they don't all settle I think there will be a challenge to ensure that the June 2025 primary has an open ballot, has a fair ballot, and I expect at least some of the gubernatorial candidates to bring such challenges.

Reporter: Is not clear yet where each of the gubernatorial candidates stand but there is no doubt they are watching to see where the remaining -- what the remaining 17 counties will do.

Anchor: We are continuing to drop episodes of our NJ decides 2024 election exchange podcast, where we go one-on-one with candidates running for Congress this November.

All 12 U.S. House seats are up for grabs and one senate seat is on the line.

It's a chance for you to meet the candidates and hear why they think they deserve your vote.

Today, congressional district five drops.

He's being challenged by a Republican.

Here is a preview.

>> When you have a divided government like we are dealing with now, these narrowly divided congresses, he only way you can get something done is if you are willing to sit down and build relationships and talk to one another.

And be OK with getting 80% of what you want.

I've found that -- I would rather get something done then nothing.

80% of something is better than 100% of nothing.

That's been my approach and friendly I will keep going that way, working hard, problem-solving and getting stuff done.

>> We see what's happening with the inflation, the border, not backing our blue, crime, Fentanyl.

So many issues that unfortunately my opponent has been voting 99.9% with the Pelosi, Biden, Harris administration.

Borders are not closed, we have horrible Fentanyl issues, people can't afford gas for their cars or do they buy groceries?

These are real-life issues right now.

We need to be energy independent.

All of these things for me are kind of one and the same, they are mashing together.

If you can't do that in the years you've been in office it's time to make the change.

Anchor: Check it out by downloading the NJ decides election exchange podcast wherever you listen.

A big focus and part of the conversation with Josh Gottheimer was the Israel-Hamas war, which is rapidly nearing the one-year mark.

The U.S. Secretary of State on Thursday said the United States will continue pressing Israel to do more to spare humanitarian sites in Gaza, comments that came a day after an Israeli airstrike killed 14 people, including six un staffers at a complex sheltering displaced Palestinians.

At the same time, according to the associated press, Turkey announced an investigation into a Turkish American activist that was shot and killed by the IDF last week while protesting settlements in the occupied West Bank.

All of this sounds familiar to a 32-year-old Jersey City teacher who is using a pseudonym for safety reasons.

He returned recently after being shot by the Israeli army during a protest in the West Bank and joins me now.

Welcome to you.

Today it came out in the Washington Post, your real name, Daniel Santiago.

Why were you using a pseudonym?

Daniel: In the West Bank we used pseudonyms for safety reasons and also so I can get back.

Honestly I used the pseudonym to point toward a Filipino revolutionary who passed away two years ago.

Palestinian and Filipina solidarity has been a long solidarity.

Anchor: You volunteered to go to the West Bank as part of a larger effort to protect Palestinians there.

You were shot in the leg.

You survived and you are here.

Tell me about that experience, what happened?

Daniel: It was my second day in the West Bank.

We are there pretty much to bring light to the settlement.

They tried to go back to their land.

It starts out with a prayer and after that they start chanting and that's when the teargas started and the live rounds.

Anchor: Live rounds from Israeli forces?

Daniel: Yes.

So we hid behind a concrete wall when that was happening.

We had to go over the wall at some point when we thought the Israeli army was coming toward us.

We regrouped.

Then there were a few Palestinians at the end of the road where the Israeli army was.

They shot some more teargas, some live rounds.

Then we saw Palestinians to our left running.

We always follow their lead.

We ran into the olive grove behind us.

That's when while I was running I felt a pain in my leg, a loud bang and I thought it was a teargas canister that hit me.

Anchor: But it wasn't.

Daniel: It wasn't.

I was still running, my friend helped me limp away and when I got into a clearing that's when the Palestinians lifted me up and I saw there was blood on my leg.

That's the moment where I was like, "I was shot."

They took me to a pickup truck.

I went to an emergency clinic.

After that, two Israeli army trucks were blocking our way to the hospital.

Two checkpoints where they demanded to see who was inside.

Finally I was able to get to a hospital.

Anchor: The IDF has claimed spots ability for your incident -- responsibility for your incident, claiming it was an accident, but they say they were firing rounds into the air, warning shots.

Daniel: I would refute that because if they were firing warning shots into the air, bullets don't go up, down and straight through my leg.

It went straight through my upper five from the back all the way through.

That does not align with the account they gave.

Anchor: When you were taken into medical care, did you see other Palestinians, were you around others who have been injured?

Daniel: Once I got into the hospital, I believe it was the next day, a 13-year-old boy came in.

He was shot in both legs for playing soccer.

That was the same day I heard the school was bombed where 100-plus people were murdered.

The day after there were four young boys that were shot, three in the leg and one in the shoulder.

Even when all of that happened, everyone in the hospital greeted me and wished me good health.

They had a lot of care and love.

Anchor: The sense is Americans or volunteers from Western countries go and by being there, your presence provides somewhat of a shield to Palestinians, to protect them, or that is the hope?

Daniel: Yeah, a protective presence whether it's through international solidarity missions, which we were part of, our goal is to provide a protective presence with the power of passports and documenting.

We hope to become a deterrence and buffer between the Israeli army, the settlers and Palestinian's.

Anchor: Would you say that's an effective way of protecting them?

Are there folks who said to you before you left, you are essentially going to a death sentence?

Daniel: Yeah, they were like why are you going to a war zone?

For me, it was the solidarity that Palestinians have shown for Filipinos.

Our presence usually provides protection at least because Israel doesn't want international outrage.

When an international activist is hurt there is international outrage, as we see.

Anchor: Have you received any of that at home, has anyone accused you of being anti-Semitic or a terrorist sympathizer by volunteering to go there?

Daniel: In comments, yes but not personally.

I'm surrounded by a lot of beautiful people in solidarity with Palestine.

And actually, there has been no response from politicians to me, no state apart and has reached out except for the missing.

Cory Booker has wanted to meet with me but I would invite him to come to the September 23 and 24th lobbying day where Americans for justice in Palestine is meeting with representatives.

Anchor: Daniel Santiago, thank you so much for sharing your story with us.

Daniel: Thank you.

Anchor: Families whose homes were badly damaged by the remnants of hurricane Ida three years ago were delivered a tough blow this week after Governor Murphy on Thursday conditioned -- conditionally vetoed a bill that would've put a pause on mortgage payments while they work to make their homes livable again.

The admin attrition defended the move saying it would have brought Eagle hurdles down the road -- legal hurdles down the road.

As Brenda Flanagan reports it means families are being left in limbo financially and emotionally again.

>> It is a slap in the face and with no empathy.

>> I do think it's deliberate, I think it's cowardly.

I do think it is despicable frankly.

>> I'm angry.

I am so angry.

Reporter: Advocates and struggling survivors of Ida's extreme floods, many falling behind on mortgage payments for homes damaged by the storm, vented frustration after Governor Murphy conditionally vetoed a relief bill that would have offered some breathing room , a single year of forbearance on mortgages because he is worried it might be abused.

>> We are basically saying people it -- people making it month-to-month on their bills with no assistance because we are worried someone will abuse the system.

Reporter: Jody Stewart is an advocate who claims the governor didn't hesitate to sign a similar relief bill for Sandy victims.

Ida stormed through jersey three years ago and he forbearance bill unanimously passed the legislature in June.

But Murphy CV'ed it on the last possible day.

>> It's heartbreaking, this was their lifeline and what they were waiting on.

To have the rug pulled out and everyone is pointing their finger at the governor.

So I my.

Reporter: She says the bill requires applicants to prove they need applet -- need mortgage relief.

Many survivors are deep underwater financially.

>> I am at of losing my house.

I am at risk.

I'm already strapped financially and already struggling financially.

This was just a little glimmer and now that feels like it is gone.

It is gone.

Reporter: In the CV message, Murphy stated the bill is not appropriately tailored to ensure the relief it provides focuses on those who continue to have difficulty paying their mortgage due to Ida-related damage to their homes, and does not contain adequate oversight measures or safeguards to prevent abuse and to ensure compliance with the law.

He wants more oversight, participation by applicants and certain recovery programs, and creation of a new state vetting process via a new online portal.

It would take months to set up and Stuart says most Ida survivors she represents won't qualify.

>> The number, I can't give you an exact but I can tell you out of our membership, zero people at this time will be eligible.

It is that bad.

>> The governor knows no one will qualify because they've already turned us all down.

Reporter: This Ida survivor says she has receipts to show she paid out-of-pocket to partially repair her home in Manville.

But folks in her ravaged neighborhood got turned down for the relief programs the governor's CV requires after the state DEP declared it would only consider blue acres home buyouts.

She feels misled.

>> You could've said that months ago and that's why felt it was deliberate.

It was very hurtful.

>> It's been a long journey for people still struggling.

This is a tough one.

Reporter: Senator Troy Singh Alton sponsor the bill and says he's greatly disappointed and frankly surprised by the new concerns outlined in the conditional veto.

The assembly sponsor commented the CV will only serve to diminish the population of eligible recipients and add layers of Yurok receipt to the assistance process.

A Republican Senator noted, as written, the bill would have given instant relief to those who have been big Nord, overlooked and unassisted for three long years since hurricane Ida, without all the your aquatic redtape that the governor's recommendations would require.

>> This was my American dream.

You are losing your American dream, having to start over, completely over, in this economy.

Most people won't be able to.

Reporter: Joseph says she will now fall further behind on mortgage payments but will try to work with lawmakers to find a compromise.

Singleton said he would be meeting with advocates and survivors to figure out a way forward and will consider all options.

I am Brenda Flanagan, "NJ Spotlight News."

Anchor: In our spotlight on business report, another labor dispute at the American dream all, were contracted cleaning members on Thursday afternoon protested what they call dramatic wage cuts.

Workers with 32 BI say there -- at their pay was cut, a roughly 10% reduction, and they allege that over the Labor Day weekend, local employers were forced to sign a contract that they say strip some of labor rights by borrowing them from being able to sue for workplace sexual harassment.

Representatives say the contract clause comes after a previous cleaning contractor allegedly failed to protect workers from sexual harassment by their manager and had illegally fired two workers for union activity.

We worked out for comment from the owner of American dream and jersey green cleaning, but didn't receive a response.

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

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

Schedule into details can be found online.

Anchor: That does it for us tonight.

For the entire team here at "NJ Spotlight News," thank you for being with us, have a great weekend and we will see you Monday.

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

RWJBarnabas Health, let's be healthy together.

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

More information online.

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