>> Funding is provided by -- [typewriter sounds] From NJ PBS, this is NJ Spotlight News with Briana Vannozzi.

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

I am Briana Vannozzi.

Breaking news, Arrest and arraignment day for Former President Donald Trump.

A historic event.

The first former ever to face criminal charges, prompting unprecedented security measures and a chaotic scene outside the courthouse in lower Manhattan, where a stoic looking trump entered the courtroom.

Pleading not guilty to 34 felony counts, the charges handed down from a grand jury indictment.

.

Payoffs to a doorman and two women including hush money payments made to an adult film star in 2016.

The former president has maintained his innocence and attacked the Manhattan district attorney's probe, calling it baseless and boilerplate.

>> Under New York State law, it is a felony to falsify business records with intent to conceal another crime.

That is exactly what this case is about.

34 false statements made to cover up other crimes.

>> The president is accused of orchestrating a scheme, falsifying records, and unlawful activity he took part in to manipulate American voters before and after the 2016 election.

Our Senior correspondent joins us.

>> it is fair to call lower Manhattan a circus today as the media and trump supporters and protesters have descended in front of the criminal court building where Former President Trump was arraigned earlier today.

He is the first former president to face criminal charges, in connection with his alleged involvement in hush-money payments made it adult film star Stormy Daniels -- to adult film star Stormy Daniels.

President Trump pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsify business records.

The charges were unsealed today.

I want to give you a sense of what's happening.

On the street.

I'm standing just in front of the court building.

We heard chants in support of trump.

.

Others chanting "indict."

We saw Marjorie Taylor Greene and George Santos walk through the crowd this morning.

The New York City police force is out in full effect.

Every police officer in New York was called to duty today.

The Former President and his legal team have called this a political persecution, saying it was motivated by the politics of the Manhattan district attorney, although a grand jury did vote to indict trump.

The legal team is expected to request this to be moved to a different borough, Staten Island, saying this venue is totally unfair and only about 1% Republican.

The presiding judge, it seems, is unlikely to approve that.

Trump is expected to give a speech when he returns to Mar-a-Lago tonight, sometime around 8:00 p.m., but it remains to be seen how long this case will take to play out.

There are two other pending indictments against the Former President.

This is all happening during election season.

Back to you in the studio.

>> Thank you.

As you mentioned, trump is a current presidential candidate.

None of these charges or a convention -- conviction would prevent him from running for the office, but it will have widespread political implications.

The outcome of the case is far from certain.

To help explain what happens next, I'm joined by a professor.

Good to see you.

This is all unfolding this afternoon.

What happens from here?

>> well -- Well, the attorneys for Donald Trump are going to have to digest that indictment, and they are going to probably be planning all kinds of motions, first to throw out the indictment altogether.

But combing through it to see what kind of motions they can make to derail or to slow down the process of this case.

That's what will immediately happen.

Legal motions of all kind to either throw out the whole case or to slow it down or to limit the reach of the indictment.

>> We did hear from trump's attorneys, who called this a, quote, boilerplate indictment with no facts.

Aside from needing to survive legal motions, this also potentially could go to trial.

Just how hard a case is this to prove, though?

>> It all depends on the evidence.

Going to that, as well as to your previous question, what will also happen, the district attorney will have to turn over to the defense attorneys all of the evidence they have gathered so far.

That's called discovery.

They will have to get to the defense team all of the incriminating evidence they have obtained and gathered, but also any exculpatory evidence.

This will take time and will be because for -- be cause for motions to emerge from that.

It will be a long time before we get to trial.

Because of the motions and going through all the evidence, this will probably last into next year.

If it goes to a jury, it will all depend on the credibility of the case.

That means, what do the documents actually show and what does the testimony actually show?

We can expect testimony from all of the attorneys in the particular Mr. Cohen, Mr. Trump S personal attorney -- Mr. Trump's personal attorney.

Ultimately, the simple answer is it all depends on the credibility of the witness and the proof that any of the documents show.

>> This will be playing out likely for a while, as you said, but also as candidates are running.

What does this due to a system like ours, an election system like ours?

We've never seen anything like this before.

>> That's right.

That is also unpredictable.

My guess is it will do two things.

One, it will harden the supporters of Mr. Trump.

There's nothing he can say or do they will find offensive or objectionable.

At the same time, this is what many people forget, it hardens the people who forget -- oppose Donald Trump.

They will also come out in strength.

That's the first element.

The second element, in any election campaign, voters want to know, what can you do for me.

That's the ultimate question that voters ask.

If Donald Trump is plagued by this case and perhaps some others that are in the works, and all that Mr. Trump does is to complain and indicate this is a witch hunt and I've done nothing wrong, most voters will ask, that's very nice, that's very good, but what are you going to do for us?

What are you campaigning on?

What can we look forward to?

I think in the long run, it will hurt his campaign, because he will be tied down with all of this preoccupation.

Don't forget, he may have to show up in court on various proceedings and interrupt his campaign.

>> He will be required, right?

That's the nature of this, to show up in court.

December 4 as we sit here will be the next hearing.

This is quite a bit of time for both sides to get their i's dotted, t's crossed, but also for a potential candidate to raise money as well.

.

We are talking about months of this leading up to the next hearing.

>> We've been told Donald Trump has already tried to monetize thus far on this case and has raised some money.

We don't know the exact money.

We will have to wait and see what the actual money raising turns out to be when he has to file formal election documents with the Federal Election Commission.

>> Professor, we will be having a lot of these conversations.

Thanks so much.

>> my pleasure.

>> Governor Murphy was one of several governors who met virtually with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to discuss the ongoing war and pledge bipartisan support to the country.

In a press briefing, Murphy called the war an existential threat to not only Ukraine, but freedom everywhere, and stressed Ukraine's need for humanitarian aid as the war drags on.

The meeting was coordinated by the national Governors Association, which Murphy chairs.

Video of the meeting with Zelenskyy was not released, but Governor Murphy paraphrased his conversation with the president, saying families there are torn by the war, fighting so that we in the West don't have to.

>> correct me if I'm wrong, he said something to the effect, thank you for your help, we cannot thank you enough.

We are fighting so you guys don't have to fight, essentially.

I think that encapsulates the reality before us.

>> Lawmakers -- Briana: Lawmakers are getting into the thick of the budget process in Trenton.

First up, state Attorney General Matt Platkin, whose office has taken a tough on crime approach.

According to New Jersey's top law enforcement officer, keeping that up comes with a price.

>> Attorney General Matt Platkin is asking for more than $447 million in the state's next budget of 5% more money than last year.

He says it is necessary for New Jersey to continue to keep crime down.

>> In 2022, the state dropped by 25%.

-- the number of crimes dropped by 25%.

>> Platkin spoke with the Senate budget and Appropriations Committee, touting the accomplishments of his first 14 months in office, including fewer stolen cars.

>> We were able to bolster these efforts, to increase the availability of a critical tool, automated license plate readers to combat auto theft and violent crime, as well as a public awareness campaign, to reinforce the need to keep our cars locked.

Auto theft declined by 27% compared to the same month last year.

>> Platkin says his department will need more money now that the Paterson Police Department is under his control.

>> The fragile trust between the community and law enforcement has been decimated.

Without that trust, there can be no public safety.

Doing this right will require financial support.

It would be unrealistic to expect otherwise.

>> Resources, you mentioned that there may be resources that are needed from the state.

Can you elaborate on that, since we are the budget committee?

>> I don't have a full picture yet, because we literally got in there first thing Monday morning last week, of the scope of what resources it will take.

>> He is also asking for a fivefold increase in funds to expand the arrive together program, which pairs a mental health professional and a state trooper to respond to certain 911 calls.

A senator had questions about past decisions by Murphy's administration.

>> One expenditure that stood out to me, among many others, was the $522,000 spent to purchase eight SUVs to transport the governor and other officials.

What does that have to do with COVID-19?

>> I don't have oversight over those funds and I wasn't in government at the time those decisions were made, so it wouldn't be appropriate for me to comment.

>> The governor used almost $1 million of COVID money to hire full-time employees in the division of civil rights, to enforce certain state housing laws, including a new law enacted last year to make it much harder for apartment owners to refuse tenancy to convicted felons.

What is the COVID connection that justifies using COVID relief money to enforce a new law meant to integrate individuals with records into apartment buildings?

>> Senator, I don't have oversight over those funds, nor the justification for their use.

I'm confident the administration did everything appropriately.

>> The Attorney General's office is asking for funding to prevent pop-up parties.

Briana: More than 150 school districts facing state aid cuts can now apply for a special one-time boost in funding.

Governor Murphy signed into law a program enabling just over $100 million in state money to be doled out, to help offset cuts those public school districts are facing under the governor's new state budget proposal.

If the districts meet certain conditions, they could see up to 2/3 of their aid restored.

Murphy and the Democratic-controlled legislature fast tracked the bill following outcry from school officials in districts slated for cuts.

The spending plan calls for a record high increase in overall K-12 state aid.

It is sparking a larger debate about how the state's school funding formula calculates each district's share of funds.

For kids not old enough to attend school, this is the week of the annual young child, highlighting the needs of young kids and their families who are facing a childcare crisis.

Due to labor shortages in the daycare industry and rising costs, a problem that drove nearly 2 million women to leave the workforce during the pandemic.

A group of New Jersey leaders met to look at possible solutions.

>> We know that over 1.8 million women dropped out of the workforce during the pandemic, and the lack of child care has been cited as a significant reason.

Why women were slower to return to work.

>> Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill is pushing for access to affordable, quality childcare.

For far too long, the struggle to find care has been forcing mothers, including herself, to make some of the most difficult decisions.

>> As I was paying all that money for child care and worried about whether or not my children were getting quality support that they needed, I was on the brink.

Should I keep working, or should I decide to stay home?

For five years, until my daughter gets in the kindergarten.

, I to this day, will tell you, if I had made a different decision, I don't think I would be in Congress right now.

>> The Congresswoman hosted this panel called confronting New Jersey's childcare crisis at the Learning Path school and daycare in Chatham.

>> Largely, it is due to the staffing crisis.

There are too many programs that cannot afford to pay what childcare staff deserve, and providing high quality childcare.

>> For many families, the cost just isn't affordable.

One parent, who is a local police Sergeant married to a teacher, says at one point tuition was more than their monthly mortgage.

>> We don't know to this day how we pulled it off.

We don't know how we still have a house and two cars.

Needless to say, we sacrificed and we were able to make it work to the best of our ability.

When I say sacrificed, I mean there was some sacrifice involved to make ends meet for us to be able to afford childcare.

>> Experts say a lack of childcare can result in millions of dollars lost for the business community.

>> 85% of primary caregivers represent that being a working parent causes an inability to be very productive at work because of concerns and stress of childcare.

The stresses of childcare and how it impacts someone's efforts and commitment to their work go hand-in-hand.

>> The short answer is that we simply cannot fix the system without teachers.

This is an easy problem to understand.

Providers cannot increase the rates because families cannot afford the true cost of care.

Since we cannot charge the true cost of care, we cannot pay a thriving wage.

Without thriving wages, teachers are leaving for other industries.

Without teachers, we can't produce the supply to meet the demand of the economy.

>> Members of the panel are hoping the federal government will deliver more funding to facilities so all families can have access to affordable childcare.

Briana: Governor Murphy is dropping the COVID-19 testing requirement for unvaccinated workers at the state's nursing homes and other health care settings.

The executive order lifts one of the last remaining pandemic restrictions still in place.

More than 2000 daily cases of the virus were being confirmed at the time the requirement was put in order in August 2021.

Today, the number stands at 319 with about 78% of all residents vaccinated.

According to the governor's office, the change applies to all workers in congregate care facilities, including group homes, rehab centers,, and psychiatrist community homes.

In our Spotlight on Business report, New Jersey is joining the fight to block a merger between JetBlue and spirit airlines.

-- Spirit Airlines.

It is in opposition to the $3.8 billion acquisition of Spirit, which some experts and the White House argue could reduce competition and drive up prices because Spirit is known for low airfares.

JetBlue contends the deal will help consumers by making it a stronger competitor against some of the larger airlines, like Southwest and United.

The original lawsuit was first brought in early March, filed by Massachusetts, New York, and the District of Columbia.

The trial is scheduled to begin October 16 in Boston.

On Wall Street, here is how the stock market closed today.

>> Support for the business report, provided by New Jersey American water.

We keep life flowing.

Online at New Jersey -- New JerseyAMWater.com.

Briana: Students have been among those leading the charge to address climate change, and a group of young climate activists from across the country, including from Hopewell Valley Central High School, recently converged on the capital, urging Congress to address an issue they see as disproportionately impacting their generation and their future.

Joining me now are two of the high school juniors who were at the Washington, D.C., rally, Lucy Webster and Ben Pollara.

Welcome.

Let me ask you what compelled you to take part in this action down in D.C. Ben: as a student in New Jersey, I experience education in school because of the standards changing this year.

But I want to ensure that students around the country can have that same kind of education that I experience.

Climate education is empowering.

I want students to feel empowered, not fearful of the future.

Climate anxiety also plays a role in climate education.

Students feel anxious of the future because of climate change .

Climate education will help students feel empowered.

Briana: Lucy, you have lived through some of the most extreme weather patterns we've had in generations, just in your lifetime.

Tornadoes just this weekend through New Jersey.

What effect does not have on your mental health -- does that have on your mental health, and what is your role in helping bring about change?

Lucy: I think I speak for a lot of kids my age when I say climate change feels like a very pressing issue for our generation.

A lot of us feel as though we have to act in order to protect the world we are growing up in.

And as you said, of the storms that came through New Jersey over the weekend, when that happened, I was actually driving down Route 1.

I was immediately fearful, thinking back to the storms we had in September with hurricane Ida, and was worried about the impact they were going to have.

That's just an example of how climate anxiety and fear of these more erratic storms caused by climate change is affecting young people and acting as almost a call to action, encouraging many of us to get involved.

Briana: Lucy, which lawmakers or advocates did you get a chance to talk to?

What were your conversations like?

Lucy: We met with our congressperson, Bonnie Watson Coleman, who is already a cosponsor on the resolutions we were going to D.C. to talk about.

We had a very productive conversation with her about the importance of her cosponsorship and thanked her.

We also met with one congressperson, a representative from Vermont, and one from Colorado, her staffer.

Briana: Ben, that resolution is what you all helped to draft, to require this K-12 climate education.

Did you walk away feeling like you had some resolution or some possible resolution?

Ben: Yes.

We know in the Republican-controlled House these resolutions will have a tough time being passed, but both representatives we met with said yes to both resolutions on climate education and mental health advocacy in a changing climate.

We felt very empowered after both of our meetings.

Briana: Ben Pollara, Lucy Webster.

Thanks so much for sharing with us tonight.

The game may have been in Houston, but Jersey was in the house last night.

UConn Head Coach Dan Hurley giving a big old shout out to his hometown, Jersey City, after the Huskies clenched the championship title -- clinched the championship title.

Hurley is of the Hurley family dynasty.

Brother Bobby was one of the greatest point guards in college basketball history.

After one of the most dominant tournament runs in history, coach Dan Hurley is bringing home the hardware to add to the family trophy case.

Congrats.

.

That's our show tonight, but a reminder, you can now listen to NJ Spotlight News anytime via podcast, wherever you stream.

You can also follow us on our social platforms and NJspotlightnews.org to keep up with all the latest news on the garden state.

I am Briana Vannozzi.

For the entire NJ Spotlight team, thank you for joining us.

Have a great evening.

We will see you back here tomorrow.

>> NJM Insurance Group, serving the insurance needs of residents and businesses for more than 100 years.

New Jersey Realtors, the voice for real estate in New Jersey.

More information is online at NJRealtor.com.

And By the PSEG foundation.

>> Look at these kids.

What do you see?

I see myself.

I became an ESL teacher to give my students what I wanted when I came to this country.

The opportunity to learn, to dream, to achieve.

A chance to belong and to be an American.

My name is Julia, and I'm proud to be a member.

♪