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BRIANA: tonight, high wreak havoc.

Another sink who opens and leads to more lane closures, detours, and community delays.

Plus, opening arguments began today in the corruption case against Nadine Menendez.

Prosecutors say she was the conduit to her husband's crimes.

Also, Republican leaders descended on Atlantic City this weekend for the annual GOP leadership summit.

And gubernatorial hopefuls made their case to lead the state.

>> Property taxes.

Doing business on Main Street, public safety, public education, and our common-sense conservative approach to how to solve those problems.

BRIANA: And after years of neglect for our state veterans, New Jersey lawmakers announced legislation to establish a new standalone Department of Veterans Affairs.

>> I think there's going to be a greater accountability of services provided for veterans interdependence.

BRIANA: NJ Spotlight News begins right now.

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

>> good evening and thanks for joining us this Monday night, I'm Briana Vannozzi.

We begin with a few of today's top headlines.

First, another sin quote.

It opened Friday evening on the left shoulder of the northbound lanes near exit 41 B.

Crews worked around-the-clock over the weekend to get two lanes open for this morning's commute.

Transportation officials say it was caused by a collapsed drainage pipe and is not connected to the abundant blade shafts that have opened along Route 80, effectively crippling traffic there, the children will remain closed while crews make more permanent repairs.

On Saturday, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy tour to the site of the sinkhole on I 80 in Wharton with Governor Murphy and Congressman Tom Kane where three sinkholes have opened along a busy highway just since December.

They are located in about the same area and both sides of the interstate.

Governor Murphy says the goal is to reopen the westbound lanes within the week, but work on the eastbound side will continue for another roughly two months.

New Jersey transit today started off with a 15% discount on round-trip travel for people affected by the ongoing work.

Also tonight, Democrats are putting federal Republicans on notice by hosting a string of town hall events this weekend in districts represented by GOP members of Congress.

The events are being organized by the left-leaning group New Jersey citizen, to get the word out about proposed cuts coming from the Trump administration.

Democratic Representative Bonnie Watson Coleman, and U.S.

Senator Andy Kim headlined the stop the cuts events in Bridgewater, which is the heart of GOP congressman Tom Kean's seventh district, along with Brick and Wall townships in deeply red parts of Congressman Chris Smith's district.

They drew crowds of hundreds, chants, and held handmade signs, packing the venues, Leaving standing-room-only, and in some cases, overflow crowds outside the event venues.

Victims on the heels of national Republican leaders advising members of the party not to hold in-person town halls due to the backlash.

According to reports, a spokesperson for Smith's office called the gatherings hyper-partisan and disingenuous .

Pointing out that his office has addressed more than three thousand constituent service inquiries just since January 1.

While Tom Kean is scheduled to host a telephone town hall tomorrow, March 26, at 6:30 p.m. And President Trump to appointed his former personal attorney Alina Habba, to serve as New , Jersey's interim U.S. attorney.

The 40-year-old Summit, New Jersey native represented the president in his high-stakes New York civil trials, including the business fraud case where he was ordered to pay more than $450 million for falsely inflating his net worth, and the defamation and sexual assault lawsuits brought by writer E. Jean Carroll.

She presently serves as counselor to President Trump in the White House.

She spoke briefly with reporters today after the announcement, where she vowed to fight corruption and injustice in the garden state name-checking , Governor Murphy and U.S.

Senator Cory Booker, saying they have failed the state.

The move comes days after a federal judge transferred the case of Columbia University alum and green card holder Mahmoud Khalil to New Jersey.

He, of course, was detained by I.C.E., accused of being pro-Hamas.

Habba's office is now expected to lead that prosecution.

Opening arguments started today in the bribery trial of Nadine Menendez, the wife of disgraced U.S.

Senator Bob Menendez, who earlier this year was sentenced to 11 years in prison for his role in the corruption scheme.

The 58-year-old Nadine Menendez arrived at Manhattan federal court alone this morning.

Her trial has been delayed multiple times due to her cancer treatment.

Defense attorneys say Nadine didn't know what her once-powerful husband was up to, but prosecutors painted a different picture.

Senior correspondent Brenda Flanagan was inside the courtroom as the trial got underway and joins us now from outside.

good to see you.

So, how did prosecutors lay out this case?

Reporter: Well, I have to describe first how Nadine looked in the courtroom.

She was sitting all by herself at that defense table with just a couple of attorneys.

And she looked very much alone.

Her husband, former Senator Bob Menendez, was not with her in court today.

And that was probably deliberate.

Why?

As you pointed out so he is facing an 11 conviction on bribery and corruption and taking bribes of gold and cash for selling his influence.

Today, prosecutors, essentially in opening arguments against his wife, kept connecting the two.

They said that Nadine was working with Bob Menendez through this.

That they were, quote, partners in crime and partners in corruption.

Over and over, the assistant U.S. attorney said that the Former Senator had the political power to make decisions that people would pay for, and that Nadine could get her hands dirty.

She essentially, quote, agreed to do the things that the senator didn't want to get caught doing.

That she did the dirty work Brianna.

,Briana: So they are saying they were, quote, partners in crime.

What was the defense's argument, since these trials were specifically made to be separate?

Reporter: exactly.

And during his trial, Bob Menendez's defense strategy, as you pointed out, was to claim that his wife orchestrated this whole scheme and kept him in the dark about her financial situation and what she was doing about it.

But prosecutors say they are going to prove both the Menendez's works together to influence two -- worked together to influence two criminal cases and to essentially benefit the government of Egypt in return for bribes like a Mercedes-Benz , a no-show job, gold and cash.

That Nadine acted as the go-between, that she passed messages to the senator, and that she collected bribes from three New Jersey businessmen.

They are together, they corrected his office and betrayed the people he was elected to serve.

Now in terms of the defense, attorney Barry Coburn made a very brief statement.

He said that the prosecution's characterization of his client's actions as, quote, nefarious, were grossly inaccurate.

Coburn told the jury, quote, There will be an utter failure of proof with respect to knowledge and intent with every , every count in this case, and that is going to lead jurors to a not guilty verdict.

However, I do have to note that Judge Stein has instructed jurors, quote, lack of knowledge of the law is not a defense.

Briana: Interesting point.

Our politics involved here at all, I mean, Senator Menendez has been making a plea to President Trump, we presume, for a pardon.

How much are politics involved at this point?

Reporter: Well, we have seen that after the sentencing with Senator Menendez, as you pointed out, he came out and called this a witch hunt he said President Trump was correct, that the Southern District of New York U.S. Attorney's office was corrupt and was just trying to pursue him.

Many interpret that as a veiled plea for a pardon from the president.

He also said on Twitter that these attorneys are cruel for pursuing his wife as she is recovering from breast cancer reconstruction surgery.

Now, this trial is expected to go until mid-May.

There is a reams of evidence -- phone calls text messages, and, , of course, cash and gold bars, Brianna.

Briana: Alright,, Brenda.

And hopefully will be there on less-rainy days.

Brenda Flanagan for us in Manhattan.

Thank you.

after years of talking about it, lawmakers today finally announced legislation to create a new standalone Department of Veterans Affairs.

It restructures veteran services that are currently housed under the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs into an independent, cabinet-level agency.

It'll focus solely on serving the state's roughly 350,000 veterans, and moves oversight of the New Jersey National Guard into a separate department.

The long-awaited bill comes after federal and state investigators uncovered abysmal care at state-run veterans' homes, and as advocates have railed against Trenton for years to step up services for vets.

Joining me from the Statehouse is the legislative director for the New Jersey VFW.

Good to talk to you.

In your mind, is this a way to really prioritize veterans' needs in a way that the state has met?

GUEST: this is an outstanding opportunity for the state, one, to recognize veterans services, and prioritize how important that care is for veterans in New Jersey.

There is over 32 other states that have the Department of veteran services that actually handle rights services very well.

This is not the first time New Jersey is trying to go back to a veterans services model.

Under Governor Kane we had the initial veterans services.

And the commissioner at that time was Bob Wallace.

It worked well for many years, until they molded it in a little National Guard and created the new position.

So we are going back to a model that really worked well, and veterans are very happy with.

Briana: How does this legislative proposal suggest that the state breaks up which services go where?

And are you confident that that is the right way to go about it?

Guest: yes, we are confident.

The McKinsey report took a year for them to do the interviews and investigative process in regards to the missteps that happened in New Jersey.

And it laid out a plan on how they could be bifurcated Foundation.

.

We are turning around and looking at that.

Services will now be held accountable.

There will be oversight and individuals that are focused on veterans and their dependents as a priority.

BRIANA: you mentioned the setbacks.

We don't have to remind folks, 200 residents died in veterans homes during the pandemic.

It's a bit of a loaded question, but do you think lives would have been saved had this department been broken up now in the way that it being proposed?

Guest: Yes.

I think lives would have been saved, not just in veterans homes exhibit in suicide prevention.

We know that the suicide rate for veterans is very high.

The programs currently are not marketed to veterans.

They don't know the services are out there.

So it will be twofold, managing veterans homes as well as increasing the outreach and knowledge base of veterans of which services are going to be provided.

So, yes six 100%, there will be greater accountability of services provided to veterans and their dependents.

Briana: Why do you think it took a tragedy like that to get to this point -- we now have a federal monitor of the two state run veterans' homes obviously, the deaths during Covid and the investigations spurred out of that, lawsuits with families and millions paid out -- why did he take that to get here?

Guest: I don't know.

I can't tell the way it took so long.

I can tell you why it happened is because the veterans of foreign wars and one or two other veterans groups really started holding Governor Murphy's feet to the fire.

And, accountability.

We saw two adjutants generals relieved, the former Commissioner forced into early retirement.

Just because they didn't have the accountability they circled.

The wagons time after time after time.

This doesn't go back to COVID, it goes back to many issues that have been happening at DVA for years which were just normally swept under the rug, they circled the wagons.

The folks in New Jersey have short memories but unfortunately, all the deaths during Covid, it was way over 200.

And some of the missteps we had like mold in the park -- with us having meetings with the governor both between the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Legion, we pushed the issue and stressed that some things needed to be changed.

And we got the commitment from the governor that this proposal, when he makes it -- what it makes it through the legislature, he will sign it.

He said we need to make this happen.

Briana: J box well is a legislative director of the New Jersey VFW.

Thank you so much.

Tonight, Republicans have one less candidate in the crowded race for governor.

Former GOP State Senator Ed Durr has dropped his bid.

As first reported by NJ globe, he had the signatures needed to get on the ballot, but not the cash.

The South Jersey truck driver who ousted Stu Sweeney four years ago said he couldn't raise enough money to qualify for matching funds and is Instead, endorsing former radio host Bill Spadea you in the race, who along with candidate Jack Ciattarelli, each met with President Trump this weekend at his golf course, fighting for his coveted endorsement, which could make or break their campaigns this, as Republicans push for a Red Wave in New Jersey, and as other GOP gubernatorial hopefuls made their case this week and at the annual GOP leadership Summit in Atlantic City.

Senior correspondent Joanna Gagis will there.

>> I am here to tell you, we are winning this.

Reporter: Former assemblyman and three-peat candidate for governor Jack Ciattarelli, nothing short of confident on Friday at the annual GOP leadership Summit.

He was one of four Republican candidates interviewed an issues driving their campaigns.

>> Property taxes.

Doing business on Main Street.

Public safety.

Public education, and a commonsense approach to solve those problems.

>> First thing I will do is end of this mandate that you actually say deterrence, this is how many units you put in a town.

Reporter: Candidate Senator John Bramnick saying he would take the issue back to the courts and look for other incentive programs to help redevelop urban housing.

>> The urban mayors love the fact that we used to have regional contribution agreements, winning if they said to Summit unit 300 units, you could transfer half of those units are giving the city money, then they would rehab existing structures.

Reporter: the former Englewood Cliffs Mayor it was a latecomer to the campaign trail and who is trying to make a name for himself.

>> I have fixed values and fixed beliefs.

I believe parents should be parents.

I believe in school choice.

We need to reform the pension system, and, most importantly, we need term limits because it's only people who sit in the legislature who actually feel like they could keep doing this to you without any kind of retribution, right?

Reporter: Former one-term state Senator Ed Durr did speak as a candidate this weekend, but announced today, he is ending his campaign and endorsing former radio talk show host Bill Spadea, who notably was absent in Atlantic City this weekend, which was pointed out by one moderator.

>> if you are running for governor statewide and you do not come to the New Jersey GOP leadership summit, it's disqualifying.

Reporter: Many Senate and Assembly Republicans showed up throughout the weekend-long summit.

They noted the palpable energy within the party explored by President Trump back in the White House, and narrowing margins in the last presidential and gubernatorial elections.

And the crowd went wild when former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy spoke about the issues they're campaigning on.

>> that there are two genders.

That fossil fuels are a requirement for human prosperity.

That reverse racism is racism.

That an open border is not a border, that parents should determine the education of their children, that the nuclear family is not a bad word.

It is the greatest form of governance known to mankind.

That capitalism is the best system we have to lift us up from poverty.

[APPLAUSE] >> we certainly need to go in the Republican direction going forward.

The last eight years of this governor has pre-spending more than we can pay probably, we will find out this budget cycle.

I mean, the budget is up 68% in eight years as it was introduced by this governor.

Reporter: The overwhelming message from Republicans here is that they believe this is their year to win not just the governorship, but to take back at least one of the branches of the legislature, which they haven't held since 2001.

>> If I win and we don't have a Republican majority in the legislature, I'm going to consider this campaign a part of failure.

I'm not just talking about the legislature either.

We've got important county races all around the state and municipal races and Board of Education races.

>> We are seeing a lot of backlash.

We are seeing people go, wait a second, You are going to charge us based on income, potentially for utilities?

You have an energy master plan that could collapse our entire grid.

You're doing social policies that are so far out there, that it doesn't resonate.

And I think there is a true tied where in New Jersey is now inclined to turn red.

>> It's not something that happens overnight.

President Trump's victory, winning the popular vote in the country, winning 12 of New Jersey's 21 counties, winning Passaic County, opening up CD-9 has a competitive race?

Reporter: Republican State Committee Chair Bob Hugin says that makes New Jersey a swing state.

For NJ Spotlight, I'm Joanna Gagis.

BRIANA: a major wildfire erupted in the South Jersey Pinelands over the weekend, scorching more than 2,300 acres as of this morning.

The so-called California Branch Fire was first reported on Saturday afternoon in Waterford, Camden County, and burned through Wharton State Forest, crossing the Mullica River, affecting parts of Burlington County as well.

campgrounds were evacuated out Two of caution, but no structures were affected.

State officials say the fire is now 100% contained but warned that smoke may persist in the area for coming days.

The blaze is the largest of the year so far.

Firefighters have been busy to start the year as persistent drought and windy weather have elevated wildfire risk, and as Ted Goldberg reports, the peak spring fire season is only now beginning.

Reporter: it is Peak wildfire season in New Jersey.

And this year could be a very busy one for the forest fire service.

>> we are making progress, but we are still under a drought.

Reporter: William is an assistant divisional forest fire warden.

He says recent rains have helped a little, but the last seven months of drought conditions have turned some of our state forests into kindling.

>> they are just really dry, any little thing that could spark is more likely to spark something.

>> we are still under a severe drought in the southern part of the state and to a lesser extent, in the northern part of the state.

So now we are entering wildfire season -- oxide chief wildfire season, which is in the spring.

So it is a little alarming.

>> Timely rainfall rains each week, that brings down the fire threat and it also helps to replenish soil moisture so farmers and gardeners can get ready to plant their gardens.

Reporter: Love says the ongoing drought increases the risk of fire spreading in Wharton State Forest, which normally has wildfires, and other places statewide that don't expect fires.

>> Some of these areas were having fires, the reason we're having fires is because they are wetlands.

There aren't wetlands anymore due to the drought.

We had that industrial wildfire last year in Essex County, typically that would be underwater.

There would be dark in there,.

Reporter: during a recent wildfire, he saw just how dry parts of New Jersey have gotten.

Look at>> The mountain role, it's dead.

It's always green.

Reporter: this state climatologist says more rain is needed to get Jersey out of drought conditions.

>> We are not in dire straits right now.

Reservoirs are below normal, but they're not exceptionally below normal.

This winter, we held our own and made some improvements, but we are not out of the woods yet.

Reporter: the last two months have brought some rain, but they were still below average for this time of year.

January was the third-driest January on record, while last September and October were two of the driest months in state history.

>> since that time once we had a wide window of opportunity to refill our reservoirs, and our groundwater and we haven't quite gotten there, and that window of opportunity is closing because by the time we get to May, we start consuming more and more water, humans and plants.

Reporter: the Forest Fire Service likes to get ahead of wildfires with prescribed burning, or intentional fires that burn up fuels without spreading uncontrollably.

Recent weather has been too windy for that, and the Stockton professor says the state would be smart to remove more trees altogether.

>> I think we need to step it up a little bit in terms of feigning our forests.

To improve not just First Health, but also to reduce the risk of really severe fire, like crowd to ground fire spread, that kind of thing.

Reporter: in the meantime, the Forest Fire Service might be a benefactor of Governor Phil Murphy's budget proposal.

It would give them an extra $1,000,000, money Love says is sorely needed.

>> We are ordering new tracks.

New bulldozers -- some of our bulldozers are from the Carter administration.

So, you know, any way we can update those is going to be a bonus for us.

>> it will definitely help the fleet because the fleet's getting older in forest fire.

So, modernizing the fleet and hopefully, more employees.

Reporter: more employees to fight more fires across estate recovering from record drought last year.

I'm Ted Goldberg, NJ Spotlight News.

Briana: That will do it for us tonight, but before we go, 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 follow us on Instagram and Blue Sky to stay up to date on all the state's big headlines.

I'm Brianna Vannozzi, for the entire team at "NJ Spotlight News.

Thanks for being with us.

Have a great night, and we'll see you right back here tomorrow.

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