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♪ Briana: Tonight on NJ Spotlight News, mass protests break out in Israel demanding a ceasefire over the war in Gaza.

While college students here in Jersey resumed classes, and antiwar protests, with a new set of campus rules.

Plus, full-court press.

New Jersey is offering more than a billion dollars in tax credits and funding to bring the 76ers to the Camden waterfront.

>>.

>> For the city of Camden, it would be a generational investment.

Briana: Also, on hold.

The Biden administration's attempts to provide student loan relief hits more roadblocks.

>> unfortunately, the decisions are going to put millions of American student loan borrowers in limbo.

Briana: And one woman's battle to bring fresh food to Paterson's fourth Ward.

>> I will not be one of those people who price-gouge the community they are trying to empower.

Briana: NJ Spotlight News begins right now.

♪ ANNOUNCER: from NJPBS Studios, this is NJ Spotlight News with Briana Vanozzi.

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

I'm Briana vannozzi.

We begin with a few key stories.

The return of college classes means the return of protests against the war in Gaza.

Students at Princeton University marked their first day back by holding a demonstration last night where about 150 people showed up.

Protesters marched on the main courtyard and then moved to the fronts of the alcohols.

Organizers made clear that despite the summer hiatus, demonstrations will continue on campus, all to increase pressure on the administration to divest from Israel.

The event comes as Princeton and other universities in the state unveiled new rules and websites to the requirements for holding un-campus demonstrations.

At Princeton, that includes banning rallies on the lawn in front of Nassau Hall known as cannon green.

That's where students set up a Gaza solidarity encampment in the spring.

At Rutgers University this summer, they put a ban on setting up tents on ongoing protests.

Meanwhile in Israel, mass protests erupted after six hostages were found dead.

Protesters are calling on Prime Minister Netanyahu to make a cease-fire deal with Hamas to bring the remaining hostages home.

Here in the U.S., the Department of Justice announced terrorism charges against senior Hamas leaders for their involvement in the kidnapping and murder of American history the October 7 attack.

Also tonight, drunken -- Trenton could get help cleaning up lead contamination.

The FDA proposed putting the city historic sites on the Superfund sites.

The industry was was also perhaps this was once per house in the neighborhood dating back to the 1800s, but the industry left the ground polluted with lead pollution that remains a health threat today.

Soil samples tested by the EPA at schools and parks and multiple residential properties have shown elevated lead levels.

The EPA has already started cleaning up the grant school and park grounds.

Back -- that is a profound listing would open up funding and resources for more thorough cleanup of the neighborhood.

If the proposal is finalized, the historic pottery would be New Jersey's 115th active Superfund site.

That's the most of any state in the nation.

School districts are scrambling once again this year, students are heading back to class this week amid a widespread teacher shortage.

The vacancies are hitting the streets a large and small in both New Jersey and nationwide, with most lacking educators for subjects like math, science and special education.

Schools have had a hard time retaining teachers since the pandemic, many moved to higher paying jobs or left the field entirely.

Some of New Jersey's largest districts are so hard-pressed, they are turning to virtual platforms to hire remote teachers.

In Jersey City the district will use remote teachers through a private company.

A substitute or paraprofessional will physically be in the classroom while the course is taught live online via certified teacher.

Paterson is using a similar option, with roughly one 50 vacancies.

The district says it is using a platform called proximity to help fill the gaps.

The head of the state's largest Teachers' Union told New Jersey monitor, other schools are feeling the impact by having a larger class sizes or even discontinuing certain courses.

Millions of student loan borrowers are sitting in limbo after a fresh lawsuit was filed yesterday in an effort to block new student loan forgiveness plans Biden administration expected to start rolling out this fall.

The latest lawsuit affects the Saving on Valuable Education plan, and income driven repayment program that reduces monthly payments.

For now, does debt holders have been placed into an interest-free forbearance, but it is unclear what'll happen next, the less it is just the latest legal challenge to Biden's attempt at delivering debt relief before the November election, and comes after the Supreme Court knocked done his proposed one-time student loan forgiveness program.

For more on what borrowers need to know, I am signed by the financial justice program director at New Jersey citizen.

Beverly meant good to see you.

A lot of folks are wondering how that decision from the Supreme Court last week and now this new lawsuit from another slate of Republican-led states will affect their loans, which are still sitting there.

GUEST: unfortunately, the decisions are going to put millions of Americans student loan borrowers in limbo.

, as you know, the Biden administration for the last few years has been working hard to make student loan repayment easier and more affordable.

Most recently, we have the save program.

We have income-driven repayment programs and public service loan forgiveness programs, and all of these policies together were helping students manage and pay back their loans more efficiently and in some cases, have some of their debt actually canceled, especially through the public service loan forgiveness program.

The decision by the court has put all those programs on hold, in that borrowers are not they are not able to apply for these programs at the moment, and then those who are in the programs, have had the forward motion of their program stops.

Briana: Are the loans still sitting in forbearance?

And are they collecting interest , or what happens now that things are really on an indefinite pause?

Guest: Many of the loans are going into forbearance, and yes, in some cases, collecting interest.

The problem is that people have many different situations.

So it depends when people enrolled in these programs, but, yes, the programs, there is general forbearance for most people are in that program.

Those who are trying to enroll, the applications had been suspended.

So I think generally speaking, the best way to describe it is that the borrowers are in limbo.

For those who are in forbearance in this moment, they don't have to make payments.

However, yes, in many cases,, interest will continue to grow and people have to pay that back.

Briana: Briana: The bigger question is how long, right, how long will the government allow those loans to be in forbearance?

Guest: We don't know at this stage.

Initially it is expected to be 60 days.

But it is not clear how long this is going to go on.

It is very frustrating for people.

It is maddening.

We came out of the COVID pause, it was a bit confusing to ramp up the repayment program, so people are very frustrated.

And it is confusing and in some cases, people who shouldn't be billed by receiving bills.

So the key thing is for people to go to student aid, get updated and accurate information and they need to be looking for their particular situations.

There are so many different situations now.

Some people are in PSLF.

Some people were consolidated and got into the SAVE plan, and now that is in limbo.

Briana: Is there any precedent for how long it may take this litigation to play out?

Guest: I can say.

The problem is that what we see is, even if one case is resolved, we seem to get new cases.

So it is really quite harmful and disruptive that there is an active and ongoing campaign to sabotage so much of the good work that has been going on at the Department of Education through the Biden administration to clean up these programs and make them work and get them into a positive -- I should say, get them into a situation where they can actually manage and pay back their loans.

It is a political fight.

Briana: Beverly Brown is with New Jersey citizen.

Thank you so much.

Guest: Thank you.

Briana: The race for the great Congressman Bill Pascrell's seat has potentially triggered a larger shuffle throughout the district and in the legislature.

If the state Senator Nellie Pou wins the night congressional seat this fall, her seat will be open, setting up a new contest to replace her, and potentially opening up yet another seat in the assembly.

Senior political correspondent David Cruz explains.

Reporter: For every action, there is an opposite and equal reaction.

That's true in physics as it is in politics.

Just ask Joe Biden.

Kamala Harris.

Or Tammy Murphy.

Or Andy Kim.

Ginger Zee, a stat down for one -- -- in Jersey, a step down from one person leads to a step up for another.

Congressman Pascrell's death and Democrats choosing state Senator Nellie Pou to succeed him on the ballot is just the latest turn of the wheel.

>> It'd been a very, very emotional year for lawmakers, back to Lieutenant all over to the Donald Payne to now Bill Pascrell.

It's overly changing -- it's not the type of thing you want to walk on.

It's unfortunate that we are in this situation.

Reporter: assembly member Benji Wimberly is trying to keep things in perspective in that as he participates in the succession process, first putting his name with a Pascarell on the ballot, and now as someone who would succeed Natalie Poole worksheet to win the congressional seat.

How interested in that are you?

Guest: I am interested in getting her elected to Congress, and made a commitment to her to be a team player and to make sure we worked between now and November 5 to get the entire ticket from Harris-Walz all the way down to our county to get elected.

Reporter: But the process of following pou into the ticket, something that wouldn't take place until January at the earliest, a blank in the eye in the express lane that is politics, that maneuvering has already begun and the potential candidates appeared to be pretty much the same people who angled to replace Congressman Pascrell.

Benji Wimberly, his assembly mate, and the Paterson Mayor under Seiyu.

>> I see you shaking your hands.

I am enjoying being the mayor.

You never know what the future holds.

This has been the wackiest year in politics.

Think if you, David Cruz, asked me on January 1 about the party line, being abolished about Tammy Murphy not being the candidate, Andy Kim being candidate, Biden withdrawing late in the game!

And then of course ask the congressman and the convention.

It has been an unconventional political year.

Reporter: The 35th District is six times in Passaic and Bergen dominated by Paterson, home base for all the three potential successors including assembly membership in the center who was the favorite to succeed Pascrell.

Until Bri -- until pou's late start.

>> I would expect that to be the case again.

The chairman chose Sumter over Benji Wimberly.

They both have the same level of seniority, they came to the legislature at the same time.

I think this is probably Sumter's presumptive nomination if she wants it.

>> if that opportunity presents itself, I can't say yes or no that I wouldn't be interested.

Again, my goal is to serve our constituency as the state of New Jersey in the best way possible and I am powerless, I was humbled that there are some folks who see me as such a leader.

Reporter: like the race to succeed Pascarella which was a five day --, the race to succeed Pou and the lobbying -- and lobbying that will entail will be a marathon, and a lot can happen between now and the finish line.

I am David Cruz, NJ Spotlight News.

Briana: In our Spotlight on Business Report tonight, lowering the Philadelphia -- lower than the Philadelphia 76ers across the Delaware.

New Jersey wants the NBA team to build their new admin on the Camden waterfront so badly, they are prepared to offer hundreds of millions of dollars in tax breaks and millions more in government-issued bonds to get them here.

The proposal has been causing a buzz in both states from those excited at the prospects of what a major sports team could bring to the local economy, to opponents who point to New Jersey's history of offering tax incentives to move companies to the city with little benefit to its residents.

Ted Goldberg reports.

♪ >> ♪ clap your hands everybody For the South Jersey 76ers?

>> For the city of Camden, it will be a generational investment from a lot of different standpoints, economically, community wise.

Reporter: Camden Mayor Victor Carstarphen is dead serious about attracting the success to the city.

At a community cleanup event today, he said Cameron Wood cleanup with an NBA team, especially a decade after they built their practice facility here.

>> I know they are committed, they have shown the commitment they have for the city of Camden on the level of that size, I could see the commitment continue to grow.

>> They have been very staunch in what their timeline looks like, what their exit date would be in the South Philadelphia arena.

And when they want to have an arena built.

Reporter: The Sixers are owned by a company which also owns the New Jersey Devils.

They are looking for a new home, saying in a statement, "we have worked tirelessly for the past five years to build an arena in Philadelphia, and negotiations remain ongoing with city leadership.

The reality is we are running out of time to reach an agreement that will allow the 76ers to open our new home in time for the 2030 one season.

As a result, we Mistake or potential options seriously, including this one."

The New Jersey options includes a huge amount of tax breaks.

>> this is why programs exist and are billed for transformational projects like the one the Sixers are looking to bring to the table.

Reporter: The state's economic development Authority is offering up to $800 million in tax breaks if the Sixers build an arena in Camden.

Proposed legislation would raise another half $1 billion in special-purpose bonds which would be repaid on fees.

The land is state owned and would be made available for free, or close to.

>> It we'll want to see New Jersey jobs created from that and specifically Camden City jobs.

Reporter: The reaction to this pitch hasn't all been positive.

>> Why does New Jersey want to participate in this race to the bottom with the Sixers?

It is mind-boggling.

Reporter: The arena, which would be built on the site of a former prison, isn't guaranteed to revitalize the committee.

She said the practice facility brought promises, to get an oil nearly 300 jobs were created, only around 10 of them are filled by Camden residents.

>> It may be a point of pride to see their logo on the waterfront but I can't tell you Anna but in this community that knows anybody that works there.

They will create the equivalent of your local Burger King in terms of the jobs in the city.

Reporter: Mayor Carstarphen has argued that the Sixers' impact goes beyond job numbers and other community events have uplifted Camden.

She says residents should have more say in what gets built here.

>> It's important that as we start to think about development especially in the sake of the sweeping indictment around tax incentives in this city with waterfront property, that we start to think about how we put Camden residents into a process in which they feel involved.

Reporter: One of the biggest product questions is how serious are the 76ers about possibly relocating to New Jersey?

Is it a giant bluff for leverage?

Mayor Carstarphen says he's proceeding as if the Sixers mean business when they say they might be crossing the Delaware.

>> We control what we can control.

I tried not to get involved with the emotions of it all.

I have a job to do every day and that is to try to make our city a better place.

Reporter: In response to the story, the development Authority says this project stands to have a major impact on Camden and we are committed to ensuring its residents and reap the benefits.

A project of this site is complex but we intend to do this right from the perspective of local benefits and community support.

Of course, this hinges on the the Sixers see Camden as a legitimate destination further than a bargaining chip.

In Camden, Ted Goldberg, NJ Spotlight News.

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

Presenting the first Jazzy city LeT and Jazz Festival on Saturday, September 14 and jersey city.

Performance schedules and further details can be found online at RiverviewJazz.org.

Briana: Finale tonight, one woman's journey from-car garage to Lake Street.

We first told you the story of Shayna last year during her mission to feed her community.

City health inspectors shut her down, but that didn't stop Shana from reaching her goal of opening a brick and mortar store.

Raven Santana visited the market to find out what impact of the seven for the people of Patterson.

>> I went out to get a box of cereal and it was $9.54.

Spend $20 driving around trying to find a decent price of cereal.

Reporter: Shana says and on affordable box of cereal was information for her market, located on Paterson and Rosa Parks Boulevard.

It is a healthy fresh food store that officially opened its brick-and-mortar location on August 24.

Manrich who was born and raised in Paterson, originally ran the market out of her garage until city health inspectors forced her to shut it down.

She has since spent the time fundraising to open a physical location, and says the opening of the store is critical, as the city is identified as one of 50 food deserts in a statewide list the New Jersey economic development authority.

>> Where we are is part of that food deserts.

This is why I wanted to make sure my first tour would be in Paterson.

I have friends coming in, grabbing stuff, tasting it and if you didn't make financial sense, I am not going to be one of those people who price-gouge the community that I am trying to empower.

Reporter: She says 95% of the foods and items she sells including toilet paper, pancake mix and soap, are from black-owned businesses, but she says it is the prices that are at pinch hitter.

>> pretty much anything in the supermarket, our score is 85 percent produce.

We have peppers and garlic and potatoes and beets and tomatoes, everything.

You can get a lemon for $.40.

You can get an orange for $.50.

A tomato for one dollar.

Our prices are about 50% less than the regular supermarkets.

Our quality is top-notch, because it is literally going from the farm straight to us.

Reporter: since opening Manrich , has served 400 people.

All the produce inside her market comes from four different firms, three of them black-owned, including one located right across the street.

>> the color the Greenacre community garden.

What it is so special, it is for the people.

Everything is free.

Except for the plants, those I grow in my green house and have to sell them to keep the garden going.

Reporter: Deacon day this has been the owner of the Greenacre community garden since 2014.

He is a one-man show turned into his garden and produce, selling it and making sure he continues to keep up with demand for his community.

>> Corn, tomatoes, lettuce, cucumbers,, cabbage collard greens, okra, all kinds of herbs, spices, bell peppers.

Watermelon.

Reporter: Davis says he is overjoyed and relieved to have a better market at his new neighbor, as he described their partnership as something bigger.

>> Is not about me or her.

It's about what we can do together to build this.

That market is going to grow.

I will help her to make sure it grows.

Reporter: Manich says the biggest challenge is keeping up with demand.

As she's already had six deliveries in the past eight days.

>> I usually post on Facebook, but I actually created app, you can click on the QR code and it will be able to get the notifications.

Reporter: She is now hoping to receive a grant to help with buying produce and hiring help.

She also wants to use the space to host workshops, community meetings and nutrition classes.

In addition to the market, if it is also working on the mobile unit to help bring affordable produce to seniors, schools and other parts of the community who are in need.

The market is currently open Monday to Saturday 7 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., and Sundays from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. For NJ Spotlight News, I am Raven Santana.

Briana: Before you go, a reminder to download the NJ Spotlight News podcast so you can listen to us anytime.

I'm Brianna Vanozozi.

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

Have a great evening.

We will see you back here tomorrow.

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♪ >> I am Gloria Monks.

2024 President of New Jersey Realtors.

Whether it is guided and first-time buyers through the home buying process, or securing space for small business owners.

New Jersey Realtors have been helping their clients through real estate transactions for more than a century.

No matter what your unique needs are, there is a knowledgeable New Jersey realtor for you.

Learn more at njrealtor.com/find.

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You can see an urgent care provider 24/7 on any device with our telemed app, or use our website to book a virtual visit with an RWJ Barnabas Health Medical Group provider or specialist.

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♪