two firefighters who died battling a cargo ship fire in Newark.

Unanswered questions remain.

>> We will honor their legacy in the work we do every day.

>> Auto theft I can -- epidemic, new gelation increasing penalties for critics.

>> This takes us backwards from the progress made his estate.

>> Homelessness trust fund will pay for temporary housing and other services to help turn lives around.

>> It probably the best taxpayer dollars ever spent.

A groundbreaking Alzheimer's drug, a first its kind medication to slow Alzheimer's disease.

>> There will be very clear criteria for who is eligible to receive this medication.

>> NJ spotlight new Starts Right now.

>> Funding is provided by an JM insurance group.

Horizon Blue Cross and Blue Shield of New Jersey.

New Jersey realtors, the voice for real estate New Jersey.

More information is online.

By the PES -- PSEG foundation.

From NJ PBS, this is spotlight news with Rihanna.

>> I am Joanna.

Firefighters are working to put out an intense fire that started Wednesday night on a cargo ship in Newark.

That took the lives of two bravest.

They were trapped in the blaze that started on the 10th floor of the cargo ship, which was loaded with cars, many filled with gas and exploding.

The fire spread two floors.

That injured five other firefighters in the process.

While teams fought this blaze, family members spoke to Melissa about their real-life heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice in the service of others.

>> The family no longer able to hold back the tears from the pain of losing their loved one.

Brooks, a longtime firefighter, was one of two first responders killed while battling fire on board this cargo ship.

His family said being a firefighter was something he wanted to do his whole life.

>> A real-life Superman.

He cared about all kinds of people.

He could've had any job he wanted.

He picked being a firefighter because he liked working with people and helping people.

>> Fire also claim the life of a gusto.

His cousin shared a few memories.

>> The other way of showing his love.

He always made sure we felt his affection.

In our grief, it is difficult to describe how much we love him.

He is our world and his passing has left an unfathomable absence in our home.

>> They were dedicated public servants with 25 years experience.

They were our colleagues, our friends, how brothers.

>> The fire started Wednesday night on the ship as hundreds of vehicles are being loaded onto the vessel for transport overseas.

The crew in meekly activated the onboard fire suppression procedure, which included the Newark fire department.

>> A part of what we do as far as the Coast Guard and federal entities, we have a fire task force that is part of the New Jersey fire task force.

They come together and we train with them.

While the Newark fire department was the first on scene.

Other fire departments were part of this response.

>> Firefighters arrived on scene did not have the appropriate hoses to handle such a big fire.

The Coast Guard said that is something being investigated.

The president called both families to show his support.

The governor expressed his deepest condolences.

>> We pray that each of them makes a swift recovery and our hearts go out to the families and loved ones.

We all feel the loss of these longtime veterans of the Newark fire department.

I've ordered flags to be lowered to half staff across the state.

Officials say because every ship fire is unique, it is posing challenges putting it out.

>> They are constantly changing.

Everyone is different.

You will find something you've never seen before.

Access is tough.

The heat is extreme.

It is very complex.

You need a good plan to put firefighters in.

This murdered very hot.

The cars that are burning are inaccessible to our teams.

We will use hoses from on shore.

We will try to keep the fire from spreading.

>> Officials don't have a timeframe when they will put out the fire.

They say they will be able to fully investigate how it started and what can be begun to prevent it from happening again.

Funeral services are expected to take place next week.

Friends and family say their sacrifice will never be forgotten.

>> If you lie on public transit didn't work, you may have had a messy commute.

Two rail lines were suspended in both directions this morning.

This is the second day of cancellations in a row.

Or had power issues cause delays for Amtrak users at Metropark and those traveling between New York and Philly yesterday.

Car theft have been on our rise, law enforcement has struggled to address the crisis.

This week New Jersey residents traders -- New Jersey legislators passed bills aimed at deterring thieves.

Some say the laws will create racial disparities in policing.

David Cruz was at the bill signing ceremony today where lawmakers insisted the new laws are necessary to keep New Jersey drivers safe.

>> Our cars are our lifeline.

>> New Jersey loves its cars, having your car stolen pin have an impact on your lie.

Lawmakers figured that a uptick in car thefts is a crisis.

Legislative leaders went ahead and passed a package of bills they say are a direct response to the crisis.

The Attorney General said the results have been positive.

>> We know it is not unique, it has been >> A statewide issue.

>>The bills get tough on car thieves who use technologies to steal cars.

Those who lead car theft rings and repeat offenders.

It takes away pretrial release for anyone who has been arrested within 90 days of a previous arrest.

A direct contradiction to the states bill reforms.

>> We are talking about persistent offenders who are part of a criminal level.

I call it a tweak because it is a tweak.

I want to be as forceful as I can to say that we have zero appetite to deal with this.

>> Then it is a slippery slope.

>> I asked our team the same question, I said I am not going to do this if it is death by a thousand cuts.

We have no plans to take any other steps.

>> The critics on the left are saying the governor and Democrats base these bills on a false narrative.

They are regressive, and her those already getting crushed by the legal system.

>> Bail perform reduced the pretrial jail population.

We know there has been some changes since because of slowdowns in trials.

But bail reform has been a success.

>> Law enforcement has already been working on this issue.

Auto theft has decreased, there is no need to have further legislation that will increase attention, will increase incarceration in a state that has the most stark racial disparities in the whole country.

>> It is either or, it is absolutely and both.

We will continue to address inequities, but at the same time we have to be smart about law enforcement.

I think the bills do that.

>> Many say Democrats are looking to the legislative elections could face pressure for more conservative voters to get tough on crime.

Even if the evidence says crime is already on the rise.

>> A Monmouth County man was charged with defrauding two dozen Goldstar families.

He is a financial counselor with the U.S. Army who used his role as a major to profit off of the families of fallen service members.

He allegedly invested the families survivor benefits into private accounts he managed.

He broke protocol and made traits that he profited off of while the families lost millions.

Merrick Garland says such conduct will be met with the full force of the Justice Department.

He is facing six counts of wire fraud and securities fraud.

Homelessness is a growing problem in Ocean County, get it remains one of the few counties in the state that has no homeless shelter.

An ordinance was passed by the Ocean County Board of commissioners to create a homelessness trust fund, an account that will help individuals struggling with homelessness.

For some, that support could mean a difference between a apartment and a life behind bars.

I slept on part which for a week after I got out.

That was how committed I was to not doing anything that would put me back in jail.

>> Paul Williams has served to prison sentences.

He has been off the street for the past 12 years.

>> Probably the best taxpayer dollars spent on me was putting me up in a stable housing situation, which helped me get an apartment.

>> He says being homeless played a big role in reoffending.

A new homelessness trust fund might help people like him out of trouble.

>> When people don't have a safe place to have over their head, anything could happen.

When survival instincts kick in.

>> The Ocean County Board of commissioners have voted to use a fund to add a fee to documents filed in the County Clerk's office.

It will help provide resources for people experiencing homelessness and prevent homelessness.

The county is New Jersey's 13th to set up this kind of fund.

>> It gives of the ability to look at economics and have flexibility providing help where some programs may not.

>> The definition of homelessness and our definition is different.

That is when they don't qualify for a -- for assistance.

If they are staying in a hotel, couch surfing, that doesn't count for homelessness.

They aren't eligible for services.

>> More flexibility to provide vouchers, supportive services and prevention services.

>> Elizabeth leads on nonprofit that helps with people experiencing homelessness are on the verge.

She says leaders have direct their feet on this issue in Ocean County.

>> I think in general the county has been not wanting to admit there is a problem.

We are seeing over 300 families per month that are in need.

Clearly there is a problem.

>> After a quick vote, the trust fund became official, earning praise from homelessness advocates who stopped by the meeting.

>> I am proud to hear what I am hearing today.

I am happy.

I appreciate what all of you have done.

>> This is adding money, we have to do much more.

>> It needs to happen.

Ocean County is moving in a good direction.

>> I don't get excited when the government is saying it will help.

But I have to say this is a step in the right direction.

>> The ordinance does not allow for funds to be used for a permanent shelter, something advocates want to see.

>> The FDA approved the first ever Alzheimer's treatment this week called Leqembi.

The drug could mean more time for people with the disease to recognize loved ones, but it is not without controversy as some doctors have pointed to life-threatening side effects.

I am joined by the director of the Alzheimer's research Center to help us understand more about Leqembi.

This is really a breakthrough in Alzheimer's treatment.

What can you tell us about the way that Leqembi works?

>> And amyloid is a protein that aggregates between brain cells, neurons.

It causes death of those neurons.

This clears the amyloid out.

What this clinical trial, and now the approval, shows when you clear the amyloid, the decline of the patient without timers disease is slower.

>> The FDA approved it, but not without concern.

What can you tell us about the risks and benefits?

>> It is complex, I think data that will come will give us a better picture.

The effect on cognitive decline is a small effect.

It is what we call distinctively -- statistically significant.

Some of the adverse effects are reversible or pretty bad.

They reflect either inflammation of the brain or hemorrhages.

Under certain circumstances, those can become extremely dangerous for the patient.

This is why there is concern in terms of the risk-benefit ratio.

Briana: Doctors noted that there were brain bleeds and severe hemorrhages for those involved.

What should a doctor be looking for in a patient to determine whether the benefits outweigh the risks?

>> There will be very clear criteria for who is eligible to receive this medication.

The basic criteria is that the person has to have amyloid in the brain, and the person will have to have either mild cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer's disease or early Alzheimer's disease.

People without mild cognitive impairment will not be eligible.

There'll be certain criteria in terms of medical conditions.

I believe that people who are on Burrell -- blood thinners will not be able to take the medication.

Briana: The doctors will have to track the data.

Thank you so much for giving us this insight.

In tonight's spotlight on business, to cleaning workers who were fired from American dream more get their jobs back.

A lawsuit filed on behalf of two workers alleged that their former employer terminated them for trying to unionize.

The cleaners argued that the two were fired as part is the -- as part of the companies downsizing.

While the judge rejected that notion saying there is reasonable cause to believe that their firing was a result of their attempts to unionize.

The judge ordered the two workers be reinstated within five days and forbade the cleaners from engaging in any behavior that could intimidate or dissuade its workers from unionizing.

Here is a look at how the markets closed for the week.

♪ >> Support for The Business Report provided by the Chamber of Commerce Southern New Jersey, working for economic prosperity by uniting business and community leaders for 150 years.

Membership and event information online at ChamberSNJ.com.

♪ Briana: Thousands of families struggle to put food on the table every day in New Jersey, but in Camden the need is greater than ever.

Food bank volunteer's over the past three years the amount of people picking up food has more than tripled.

Raven Santana went to Camden to see how one group is working with local farms to give fresh produce to families in need.

>> It is not even 10:00 a.m. and a line of people have begun to form around the Camden housing to receive boxes full of fresh produce.

>> You see from week to week, we see moms, dads, seniors, children, veterans.

We even see working-class families.

Coming just to give food.

>> The pastor, president and founder of this outreach nonprofit that runs a food pantry.

Volunteers hand out a variety of bread, meat, produce and other items.

This is an example of a box that a family will receive, the pastor says the demand is so high, that no matter what the weather, there is always a line.

>> Prior to Covid, we were doing 3000, since the pandemic we went up to 10,000 people.

So now we are doing close to 15,000 individuals.

>> In 2022, Camden was designated New Jersey's top food desert.

Of the residents who live in Camden, almost half of the population experience food insecurity last year.

Given the urgent situation, or help is needed.

>> Captain -- Camden is the number one food Desir in the state of New Jersey.

We are seeing that even though we are trying to move on to a post-pandemic normal, food insecurity is an issue, it seems to be worse now with inflation.

It is important that we keep our eye on the challenges.

>> When we do our distributions, we have these families come out, overnight, the day before, they are sleeping in the parking lot, waiting to receive >> Food.

>>The nonprofit is living on the policy owner of a farm located 15 minutes away who donates organic foods -- organic fruits and vegetables.

>> This is the biggest site that we serve, it takes 200 of our fresh boxes per week.

Each box is seven pounds of produce.

We put a mixture of what is in season.

Vegetables, fruit, herbs.

>> The effects of inflation and the reduction in benefits have intensified the dire situation in Camden.

They are asking the public for help.

The pastor says food pantries like this are doing what they can to create an oasis in the desert.

>> We are here to make sure that no one goes to bed hungry.

We understand, we believe that strong family creates a strong community.

Hope is something that is so incredible.

We want to make sure people can feel that it's of hope.

>> The pastor says food pantries like this are doing what they can to create an oasis in this desert.

Briana: That is going to do it for us tonight, a reminder to download the podcast so you can listen anytime.

Thank you for being with us, have a great weekend.

We will see you on Monday.

♪ >> The members of the New Jersey Education Association, making public schools great for every child.

RWJBarnabas Health, let's be healthy together.

And Orsted, committed to the creation of a new long-term, sustainable, clean energy future for New Jersey.

>> Our future relies on more than clean energy.

Our future relies on empowered communities, the health and safety of our families and neighbors, our schools and streets.

The PSEG foundation is committed to sustainability, equity, and economic empowerment.

Investing, helping towns go green, supporting civic centers, scholarships and workforce development that strengthen our community.

♪