Briana Vannozzi

United States

Anchor at NJ Spotlight News

Anchor @NJSpotlightNews 630/730/11pm on @MyNJPBS | Former Sr. Correspondent & MMJ Queen | Story tips: [email protected]

Featured in: Favicon

njspotlightnews.org Favicon

njtvonline.org Favicon

state.nj.us Favicon

newsbreak.com Favicon

njspotlight.com

Articles

Utilities agree to defer small portion of electric bills

1 week ago | njspotlightnews.org | Briana Vannozzi |Michael Warren

Electric customers across New Jersey will see a little more relief on their bills this summer, as the state grapples with soaring energy costs during the hottest part of the year. The state Board of Public Utilities on Wednesday approved a plan to defer a total $60 from electric bills in July and August — $30 deferred each month. All of New Jersey’s electric utilities — PSE&G, JCP&L, Atlantic City Electric and Rockland Energy — are participating in the plan.
What's the news with the NJ budget?

1 week ago | njspotlightnews.org | Briana Vannozzi

New Jersey lawmakers are nearing the deadline to finalize New Jersey’s annual budget. At $58 billion, Gov. Phil Murphy’s spending proposal is the largest in state history. And it’s likely to look quite a bit different once the Legislature is done making changes to it. A couple of key programs could take a hit in order to pay for it along with changes to the $1 billion in tax increases Murphy is seeking to support his increased spending.
NJ primary 2025: Party machines loosen their grip?

1 week ago | njspotlightnews.org | Briana Vannozzi

With all but one Assembly race decided, the primary election has left a few lessons to take away. Maybe most notable was around the power of the party machines and whether the election showed their longtime hold on New Jersey politics may be loosening. The primary election was the first in which there was no so-called county or “party line” ballot system, which opponents argued gave an advantage to candidates with the county organization’s endorsement.
NJ's only female governor has advice for Mikie Sherrill

1 week ago | njspotlightnews.org | Briana Vannozzi

Former New Jersey Gov. Christine Whitman, a lifelong Republican who has previously supported candidates across party lines, is backing Democrat Mikie Sherrill in the upcoming gubernatorial race. Whitman broke ground as the state’s first female governor and served two terms from 1994-2001. She separated from the GOP to co-chair the Forward Party, a national political party, with former Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang.
FIFA Club World Cup kicks off, brings soccer fever to NJ

2 weeks ago | njspotlightnews.org | Briana Vannozzi

World Cup fever is already sweeping New Jersey a full year before the global spotlight officially lands on the Garden State. But the excitement starts now. This weekend kicks off the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, the biggest club football event the U.S. has ever hosted. Thirty-two teams from all six FIFA confederations are competing. Matches begin Sunday at MetLife Stadium in the Meadowlands, with Brazil’s Palmeiras facing off against FC Porto of Portugal.
NJ's high cost of living putting a strain on kids

2 weeks ago | njspotlightnews.org | Briana Vannozzi

New Jersey is making gains in overall child well-being, ranking seventh in the country, according to the 2025 Kids Count Data Book from the Annie E. Casey Foundation. The new 50-state report analyzes how children are faring in post-pandemic America. The findings show marked progress in New Jersey when it comes to children’s education and health. But the state landed toward the middle of the pack when it comes to economic pressures, due to the high cost of housing, transportation and other goods.
Atlantic Shores withdrawal jolts NJ's offshore wind plans

2 weeks ago | njspotlightnews.org | Briana Vannozzi |Michael Warren

A major offshore wind project is giving up in New Jersey, at least for the forseeable future. Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind last week asked the state Board of Public Utilities to withdraw from a lucrative funding package that would have helped pay for the project, which was designed for up to 197 turbines generating 2,800 megawatts of power. The closest to land of those turbines would have been roughly nine miles from Long Beach Island.
What's inside NJ's ballooning budget?

1 month ago | njspotlightnews.org | Briana Vannozzi

Gov. Phil Murphy and lawmakers have just weeks left to hash out an agreement on state spending priorities and deliver a constitutionally mandated balanced budget. NJ Spotlight News budget writer John Reitmeyer discussed the latest in the budget review process and what lies ahead in the coming weeks. Reitmeyer said a key piece of this year’s debate is the overall size of the annual budget, which at $58.3 billion has grown to a record high during the Murphy administration.
Feds no longer recommend COVID-19 vaccines for healthy children, pregnant women

1 month ago | njspotlightnews.org | Briana Vannozzi

In a move that marks a significant shift in public health policy, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced Tuesday it is removing COVID-19 vaccines from the list of shots recommended for healthy children and pregnant women. The decision was announced by HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in a video posted on X. He was joined by the Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Dr. Martin Makary and National Institutes of Health Director Dr. Jay Bhattacharya.
Congress' blow to electric cars felt in NJ

1 month ago | njspotlightnews.org | Briana Vannozzi

The U.S. Senate last week voted 51-44 to repeal a rule allowing California to ban sales of gas-powered cars by 2035, creating a ripple effect across the country. Eleven other states, including New Jersey, were set to follow in California’s footsteps, representing roughly 40% of the U.S. auto market in all. How much the bill if enacted would impact New Jersey specifically is up for debate. Following California’s lead, Gov.