(upbeat music) - From NJ PBS Studios, this is NJ Spotlight News with Briana Vannozzi.

- Good evening and thanks for joining us on this Monday night.

I'm Briana Vannozzi.

Tonight, a few stories we're digging into later in the broadcast.

Mikie Sherrill and Jack Ciattarelli faced off in their first debate of the governor's race.

We'll look at where the candidates clashed and which issues took center stage.

Then a CDC panel is adding new rules for certain vaccine requirements.

But is New Jersey following suit?

We'll look at how state officials are handling the changes.

And later, after a year on the job, what fixes does New Jersey Transit's customer advocate say the agency needs to make right away?

But first, a few of today's top headlines.

In a unanimous vote, Jersey City joined a growing number of school districts banning cell phones in the classroom.

Starting October 1st, the state's second largest public school system will require students to keep their phones off and out of sight during class, even while in the restroom.

It's part of a new policy aimed at reducing distractions and improving focus.

The move affects roughly 27,000 students across more than three dozen Jersey City schools, but access isn't being completely denied.

Students can still use their phones during lunch and recess.

Anyone with special medical needs and disabilities will also be given an exemption.

And unlike some districts, Jersey City won't mandate locking pouches for the phones.

The vote follows over a year of public debate and a pilot program in two of the city's schools and comes amid growing national interest in classroom cell phone restrictions.

New York City recently launched a full-day device ban and Governor Murphy has said he'd support a statewide policy.

Also tonight, one of the busiest heliports in New Jersey is facing possible shutdown after a fatal April crash in the Hudson River raised fresh concerns about safety and compliance there.

Officials say the Hilo or HHI heliport in violation of a 2014 zoning deal that banned tourist flights and restricted operating hours.

It's the site where a chopper took off this past spring for a sightseeing tour before crashing into the Hudson River just off Jersey City's shoreline, killing all six people aboard, including a family of five and the pilot.

Now, residents in Jersey City and Hoboken have long complained about early morning and late night noise from low-flying helicopters.

Kearney officials say they've issued the heliport a zoning violation and they're threatening to revoke the company's certificate of occupancy by September 26th unless it complies.

Coming up, the gubernatorial candidates met for their first debate Sunday night, so did they talk top issues or just trade jabs?

We'll give you a recap next.

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The governor's race took center stage Sunday night as Republican Jack Ciattarelli and Democrat Mikie Sherrill met for their first debate, sparring over a wide range of issues from taxes and energy costs to immigration and education in a tense town hall style event at Rider University with hundreds of voters in the audience giving residents a clearer look at where each candidate stands in the closely watched contest.

It's drawing sharp lines and strong emotions.

Senior correspondent Joanna Gagis has a closer look at the highlights and what they mean for voters.

Last night, the two primary candidates for governor in New Jersey, Democratic Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill and Republican former State Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli squared off in a town hall debate, the first of this electoral season.

Both kept their focus on affordability.

I'm going to be fiscally responsible with your money.

I'm going to drive down your cost at every level.

And I'm going to make sure your kids have great opportunities here in the state of New Jersey.

Make all retirement income tax-free the way it is in Pennsylvania, number one.

Frees your property taxes for life once you hit age 70.

Allows seniors to deduct 100% of their property taxes on their New Jersey tax return.

The debate got spirited quickly when the candidates were asked whether they'd commit to not raising the sales tax, an issue that's permeated the campaign trail lately.

We are not raising the sales tax here in New Jersey.

What we need to do is lower the income tax and the property tax here in New Jersey.

Those are the most burdensome taxes we pay.

It took us 238 years to get the $36 billion budget.

In eight years we went from $36 billion to $59 billion.

Can anybody tell me their life is better off than it was eight years ago?

Has anything gotten better?

I can see why your career as a CPA was so short-lived because your math just doesn't add up, Jack.

So that's why as we look at a five billion dollar hole that we're facing from the federal government, as we're working hard to make sure that we're paying into pensions, at least one of us, to make sure that people have the hard-earned dollars that they've earned over time, as we're working to make sure that we have the best public school system in the nation.

I'm not going to commit to anything right now, because I'm not just gonna tell you what you want to hear.

Now Jack raises sales tax all the time, and yet tonight he said this because like we know he'll tell you whatever you want to hear.

So if any of you think I'm gonna raise your sales tax at 10% I got a bridge I want to sell you for about 50 cents she knows it's a lie they're trying to exploit you they're trying to manipulate you she knows she's in trouble in this campaign so this campaign is gonna lie to you over and over again they shared plans for how they'll try to drive down rising energy costs how to improve educational outcomes for students and whether they'd support the vaccine schedule recommended by health care experts both said yes to the vaccines when asked whether they'd continue the immigrant trust directive that limit in detention arrests.

Exe the immigrant trust direct I believe the immigrant t having sanctuary cities, only encourages illegal i our local law enforcement ways.

I've prosecuted peo here and who are undocum safety for the people her be deported.

But what I al in our constitution with t referendum on President T the candidates took turns framing the administration's actions to their benefit.

He's beating up on the New York Democrats over their congestion pricing plan, which I think is an egregious money grab.

We shouldn't be paying for their subway system.

He's also quadrupled the salt deduction on our federal tax returns.

The big beautiful bill also doubled the child care tax credit for those with young children.

It also doesn't tax tips over time at Social Security.

It provides a magnificent tax credit for those that send their kids to private school.

I want you to think about those four things.

They're good for all New Jerseyans.

She voted no, my opponent did, on that bill.

I'm sure he would like you to focus on those four things because he doesn't want you to focus on this tariff plan, which is putting small businesses out of business and freezing hiring from our large businesses.

He doesn't want you to focus on the employment numbers or the fact that the deficit has gone up by $70 billion in the year Trump's been in office.

He doesn't want you to focus on the one big beautiful bill, which is going to raise families' utility costs by hundreds of dollars, which is going to imperil the health care of one in three children.

The candidates will face off one more time in October, although Ciattarelli said he's willing to add another debate.

For NJ Spotlight News, I'm Joanna Gagas.

More changes are coming to vaccine guidelines in the U.S.

after a newly reformed CDC advisory panel spent the weekend shaking up existing policies.

The members who were appointed by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

got into heated debates clashing over science and how to rethink immunization practices on a range of diseases.

Our senior correspondent, Brenda Flanagan, joins us now to break down the key changes and what it means for vaccine recommendations moving forward.

Brenda.

Hey, Brianna.

So this newly appointed CDC committee with some members that are openly suspicious of U.S.

vaccine policy spent two pretty chaotic days making changes and defending themselves against sharp critics, including each other, as they tried to redefine vaccination guidelines for the U.S.

President Trump's health secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who's made his skepticism of vaccines known, handpicked these 12 advisers after firing all of the old members of the ACIP.

That stands for Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, and it makes recommendations on vaccine policy for the CDC.

Kennedy challenged his new panel to reexamine public health strategies for vaccinations against several diseases, including measles, chickenpox and COVID-19.

But his new panel got off to a rocky start over two days of often contentious debate.

Five members are brand-new.

Some questioned what their votes actually meant.

The American Academy of Pediatrics boycotted the meeting, and members clashed with each other and with angry liaison groups.

Critics charged ACIP members with cherry-picking unqualified research and skewing decisions based on personal anecdotes.

The atmosphere crackled with partisan politics.

State University: You're not looking at all of the aspects of how we evaluate vaccine implementation.

You're looking at very small data points and misrepresenting how it works in the real world and how we take care of our patients.

So no, this was not a thoroughly vetted discussion.

We desperately need to rebuild trust between the American people and public health, medical and scientific communities.

Secretary Kennedy has stated that he wants to do this, but his actions indicate otherwise.

The Secretary said he would not interfere with the work of this committee.

Yet he fired all 17 members without cause and appointed the new members here today, most of whom have anti-vaccine track records.

Secretary Kennedy announced new COVID-19 vaccine guidance on social media.

In this moment, I cannot sit silently as Secretary Kennedy undermines science, public health and vaccine access in this country.

I urge the public, Congress and this administration to take proper action and restore the competent science-based leadership at HHS and CDC.

For the health and safety of American families, Secretary Kennedy must go.

In an attempt to appease a small segment of the population and in an attempt to uplift the beliefs of one particular administrator in the government, we're putting the health of children and the health of families at risk.

And, you know, whether we're talking about COVID-19 vaccination or we're talking about the MMR vaccine or hepatitis B, all of this is bound to have an effect on the health and well-being of the population.

JUDY WOODRUFF: Now, Perry Halkitis heads Rutgers School of Public Health.

He said the panel presented studies that CDC scientists had dismissed as flawed.

But ASIP circled the wagons.

Several members took extreme offense at attacks on their expertise, insisting they were bringing a more open mind to an ongoing debate that's eroded public trust in vaccines.

We welcome scientific critique of any of our votes, as there are gray areas due to incomplete scientific knowledge, but false accusations that we and other respectable vaccine scientists are unscientific and dangerous anti-vaxxers, that just adds legitimacy to anti-vax positions, damaging both public health and the confidence in vaccines.

Such false accusations are only logical if their purpose is political.

The position that many in the United States encounter with this birth is that a medical professional acts in a unilateral fashion to perform a medical procedure and injection without substantial informed consent.

And as we know, exacerbated by the events around COVID, there has been a significant decrease in public support for vaccination and a significant increase in concerns about public health and the ability of the population to rely on public health.

JUDY WOODRUFF: So, what did this panel change?

Well, they advised limiting a particular quad combination shot for measles, mumps, rubella and chickenpox to kids over four years of age.

But that's already been suggested by the CDC.

As for COVID, ACIP members voted to recommend folks 65 and over who get a COVID shot should talk it over first with a clinician.

The panel also recommended everyone six months to 64 years of age should discuss risks versus benefits of the COVID shot with their medical professional.

And they almost voted to require a prescription for COVID vaccinations.

It was a 6-6 tie, but the chair voted no.

Now, in New Jersey, the Department of Health has already established prescriptions are not required for COVID shots.

Most people just get them at a local pharmacy.

So they actually voted down that requiring a prescription, which I thought was very important because that will clearly, that would make access much worse.

And one of the committee members made the point, he said, you know, I can't call up and get an appointment with my physician for next week.

You just, it would be, it's an unreasonable ask and it would mostly harm the people who are at highest risk.

- We put out our own state level recommendations, which, you know, align with many other states in the collaborative that if you're six months or older, you know, you should consider getting an updated 2025, 2026 COVID shot.

And we put in place in New Jersey, an executive directive and a standing order to really help consumers get access to those vaccines.

Now, acting New Jersey Health Commissioner Jeff Brown says New Jersey is working in collaboration with several Northeast states, plus New York City, to adopt their own vaccine policies.

But they're keeping an eye on ACIP recommendations.

Brianna.

All right, Brenda, great reporting as always.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Support for the Medical Report is provided by Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, an independent licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association.

Well October will mark one year since New Jersey Transit appointed its new customer advocate, a role created to give riders a stronger voice inside one of the country's largest transit systems, one that's no stranger to service issues.

From canceled trains to crowded cars and app glitches, Frank Beaumont has spent the last 12 months listening to commuters and taking their concerns directly to the heads of the rail agency.

So, what's changed and what still needs fixing?

New Jersey Transit customer advocate Frank Beaumont joins me now to talk about what he's learned and where things are headed.

Frank, so good to sit down and talk with you.

I'm sure it's been an eventful year.

I think most people want to know, what have you heard the most from customers?

Is there a single issue that you've heard repeatedly since taking this position?

Well, first of all, thank you for having me here today.

Yes, it's been a very interesting year.

I learned a lot from customers.

I had the opportunity to meet with them on multiple occasions on the field.

We've met during listening forums across the states.

And I tried to write myself on all the most that we offer.

So I've heard a lot of feedback about service.

There's a consistent concerns for all riders of all transit agency across the world.

It's about getting more reliable service.

That's concern number one.

That said, we hear a lot about different other aspects of the passenger experience, the passenger journey, and we're looking to improve every aspect of it.

You mentioned that you ride the rails, I'm guessing the buses, you said all the modes that are offered.

How regularly are you on them, and did priorities shift for you in terms of what you see the agency needing to tackle once you yourself became a rider, a customer?

Right, so I'm a rider myself.

Every day I take the train and the light rail to go to work and back home at night.

I also ride the bus on a very regular basis, especially on weekends.

And even outside of my regular commute, I make an effort to try and assess every experience across the state-- on the River Line, then South Jersey, buses, all through the three divisions.

And of course, Trent Experiences, Atlantic City, New York, Trenton, et cetera.

So I've seen different aspects of the passenger experience that we can improve.

Like I mentioned, service is one of them, of course, but we hear a lot about passenger information, which is often a triggering complaint, meaning that when we can't meet passenger expectations in terms of reliability, when there's a delay or cancellation, then if we don't provide regular, good, consistent passenger information-- - Real-time updates.

- Correct.

Well, customers are more likely to reach out to us to express-- So what have you recommended to the leadership at New Jersey Transit to fix that, and what is realistic for them to do given the constraints, the financial constraints and the budgetary constraints that they have to work with?

You're correct.

I think given the financial constraints, we have to be inventive.

But passenger information, improving passenger information was one of my first goals when I joined New Jersey Transit.

It's still one of them because there's still a lot of work to do.

But I think we made a lot of efforts this year to improve that quality of information.

First to me good information is accurate and simple to understand.

It is provided in a timely manner throughout all the channels available at one time.

And it is transparent.

It is.

It displays one version of the truth to avoid confusion first but also to show transparency.

And so we're trying to share this mindset across all operational teams to make sure that they follow that type of instructions.

What we've done this year is try to improve the channels that customers have access on a daily basis.

It includes enhancing the real-time data information.

Nowadays if you go on the river line for example you'll find new digital signs that provide you real-time departure on the app.

Same thing.

So that's something that you're trying to bring for some of these modes that are more frequently used like the buses like the trains.

That is correct.

I think the operational team because I won't give credit to them they're the one implementing those improvements are working hard on implementing the real-time data information on HBLR the Ossenberg and Light Rail they're doing it as we speak and implementing new digital screens with real-time information but we do this also providing information for upcoming disruptions and service changes if you go on the New Jersey Transit website we have a status page and we have new little triangles that warns customers, okay, there's disruptions upcoming, there is a service change or schedule change.

And we have made improvements to the trip planner.

I think this is a critical aspect of the experience because a lot of passengers, even those who are, you know, very comfortable with riding the system sometimes needs confirmation, but also because we have FIFA next year and a lot of customers will be new to the system, will need customer, very precise customer information.

So the trip planner now provides very accurate information from your origin to the destinations, including the walking segments and every single stops on the way.

Yeah, let me ask you about that since you brought up the World Cup.

New Jersey of course is hosting the finals at MetLife Stadium in the Meadowlands.

There have been improvements.

There was an analysis recently that showed this summer had about 1,800 less cancellations than the summer prior, but was still among one of the worst under this current administration we have over these last seven, eight years.

And delays are still happening at about one in every 18 riders.

Is the agency by your estimation ready for primetime when it comes to the World Cup and passengers who are not frequent riders on these rail systems who maybe know the nuances?

Is it ready?

So I think, thank you for the question, it's a very interesting question.

I was part of the customer advocate employees, customer care employees who were on the field for the events in July.

So I can tell you there was a lot of efforts put into passenger assistance, customer information, but also service reliability.

I think the exec team didn't wait for me to make decisions to improve service reliability.

Last Friday during the board meeting, they authorized the purchase of an additional 260 buses as well as 26 low emission buses to complete this fleet renewal.

And we're talking about 1,400 new vehicles authorized for purchase since 2018.

It's huge.

And on the rail side it's the same thing.

They authorized for purchase 374 new multi level coaches which will significantly improve the on time performance.

And the first new rail cars will come next year, mid next year.

So I think we'll be in much better shape.

In addition to all the efforts that are put into like I said customer information customer assistance with people with employees who have you know speak multiple languages and of course announcements for fare ticket purchases.

Very quickly for customers who want to get in touch with you how can they find you.

Where can they find you?

Yeah, so thank you for asking.

I encourage your viewers to reach out to me.

There's different ways to do so.

First of all, obviously, they recognize me on the train, on the bus, on light rail.

They can come up to me and talk.

I'm always happy to chat.

I'm also available on social media.

I have an ex-former Twitter account @NJTransit_CA for customer advocate.

I have a dedicated online form on the NJ Transit website.

It's available on the home page or passengers can just type njtransit.com/customeradvocate.

Frank, thank you so much for coming in.

We appreciate it.

Thank you for having me.

And finally tonight, this is the sound of history being made at Yogi Berra Stadium at Montclair State University.

321 go.

Where more than 2300 fans turned out gloves in hand to set a new Guinness World Record for the largest ever game of catch, all in tribute to the late great Baseball Hall of Famer under sunny skies, nearly 1200 pairs of players spread across the field, tossing baseballs back and forth for five minutes, honoring what would have been Yogi's 100th birthday.

Officials from Guinness even showed up to make the whole thing official.

Now, Barra, who won 10 World Championships with the Yankees, was a longtime Montclair resident and earned an honorary degree at the university.

As he famously said, "It ain't over till it's over," and this world record is most certainly over.

That's going to do it for us tonight, but a reminder, you can download our podcast wherever you listen and watch us anytime by subscribing to the NJ Spotlight News YouTube channel.

Plus, you can always follow us on Instagram and Blue Sky to stay up to date on all the state's big headlines.

And with Election Day just around the corner, be sure to check out our voter guide to get up to speed on the candidates and races on the ballot this year.

Head to the NJ Decides 2025 tab on our homepage.

I'm Brianna Vannozzi.

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

We'll see you right back here tomorrow.

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