New York Penn Station is looking to upgrade, but it needs more space to do it. And that’s not an easy task being the busiest train station in North America, serving more than 630,000 riders on 1,345 trains every day. Read NJ Spotlight News’ coverage of the proposed plans...

WASHINGTON — A clash likely to affect the future of passenger rail in the American Northeast for decades, in particular for New Jersey riders in the north of the state, is now playing out. The contours of the dispute came starkly into view after rail agencies that use New...

Stay NJ gets legislative sign-off as questions grow over its finances. A key legislative panel voted unanimously for a plan to boost state-funded property-tax relief for many senior homeowners in New Jersey, despite lingering questions about the fairness of the proposal and its expected price tag. Votes cast on Monday...

Advocates are applauding a new bill that would safeguard the privacy of immigrants in New Jersey and limit how their immigration status is shared amid growing anti-immigrant sentiment across the country. Introduced last week, the bill (S-3672) would forbid government agencies and hospitals from asking about someone’s immigration status —...

The last chance to vote in this year’s general election is just four weeks away and with the race for president topping the ticket, turnout is expected to be high. The latest episode in the NJ Spotlight News’ multimedia series “Gotta Know Jersey” provides everything New Jerseyans need to know about casting their votes this year, from how to register to what happens if a person encounters a problem at the polls.

His daughter and her husband were kidnapped by Hamas during the Oct. 7 attack. The world is paying tribute to the roughly 1,200 lives lost during the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel, the deadliest assault on Jews since the Holocaust. About 250 others were taken hostage that day, and according to the Israeli government, a total of 97 are still unaccounted for.

We bring you what’s relevant and important in New Jersey news and our insight. Watch as the NJ Spotlight News team breaks down today’s top stories. A year later, Israeli hostage’s father reflects on family’s pain. His daughter and her husband were kidnapped by Hamas during...

'We were hoping that by now we wouldn’t have to be protesting, but here we are one year later'. In the year since Israel first responded to the Hamas attacks on Oct. 7, the Palestinian community in New Jersey has mourned the mounting death toll of those killed by the Israeli military in Gaza; an estimated 41,000 people.

Candidates for U.S. Senate, Rep. Andy Kim and Curtis Bashaw take part in first debate. U.S. Rep. Andy Kim, the Democratic nominee, faced off Sunday night against Republican candidate Curtis Bashaw in the first of three debates as they challenge for New Jersey’s open U.S. Senate seat. Kim declared...

More than 200 people were assisted at a clinic hosted by a Somerset church. A criminal conviction can greatly impact a person’s life. An expungement clinic held in Somerset last week helped more than 200 people to clean up their backgrounds and get help. The clinic on Tuesday, hosted...

Public libraries in New Jersey (2022) Often town by town, New Jersey’s public libraries has been deep in debate over book restrictions and the rules for including or excluding books from circulation. And it could take while. Overall, there were 294 public libraries in New Jersey as of 2022,...

This year’s rollout of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, better known as FAFSA, is once again off to a late start. The form typically becomes available to students heading into college on Oct. 1 for the next school year, but this year it is not expected to be widely available until early December. To catch and fix any issues before the official release, the U.S. Department of Education began a beta testing period on Tuesday with a limited number of students. Completing the form enables students to tap into federal, state and school-specific aid to attend college. It also gives students an idea of what college would cost them before finalizing their post-high school plans.

Advocates, lawmakers look to change NJ’s rules to allow for more births outside hospital setting. State lawmakers are considering a measure to make home birth more accessible, something birthing advocates say is needed as New Jersey works to improve maternal health outcomes and reduce related racial disparities. The Senate...

The historic Freehold Raceway, a center for harness racing in New Jersey for more than a century, is set to close at the end of the year after a sudden announcement last month. Now, the industry group that represents horsemen in the state’s harness racing world is warning that the...

We bring you what’s relevant and important in New Jersey news and our insight. Watch as the NJ Spotlight News team breaks down today’s top stories. Another NJ town targets homeless with sleeping ban. Millville makes it illegal to sleep in public places. The first offense is a...

Patrice Jetter explains how disabled couples cannot get married, or live together without loosing benefits. Patrice Jetter and her longtime boyfriend Gary Wickham want nothing more than to get married and solidify their commitment to each other like countless other couples. But a new documentary streaming on Hulu called “Patrice: the Movie” reveals the harsh reality of their love story. If the Central Jersey couple legally marries– or even lives together– they’ll lose the very disability benefits they rely on to survive. It’s known as the marriage penalty, and it’s a devastating barrier people in the disabled community face regularly.

International Longshoremen’s Association and the U.S. Maritime Association have 90 days to find a middle ground on automation. After three days of picketing and nearly four days of ships sitting idle at the docks, the biggest longshoreman’s strike in nearly 50 years is on hold. The International Longshoremen’s...

Millville makes it illegal to sleep in public places. First offense is a $500 fine. Millville is the latest town to punish the homeless for sleeping outside. The city’s Board of Commissioners approved an ordinance earlier this week banning anyone from sleeping in public spaces including streets or sidewalks, as well as outside businesses or government buildings.

To avoid federal lawsuit, state agrees to correct problems at troubled nursing homes. Veterans advocates and families are welcoming, but wary, after New Jersey agreed to accept an independent monitor at its troubled state-run veterans homes in Paramus and Menlo Park. “My father was very proud of his service in...

New Jersey homeowners and renters will not have to wait much longer to receive the next round of state-funded Anchor property-tax relief benefits. Benefits totaling as much as $1,750 are now set to begin being distributed in mid-October, according to the Department of the Treasury. That’s a few weeks ahead...