Joanna Gagis

United States

Senior Correspondent at NJ PBS

Senior Correspondent/ NJ Spotlight News / NJ PBS

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Articles

Newark Airport again faces air traffic control issue, raising safety concerns

5 days ago | njspotlightnews.org | Joanna Gagis

Air traffic controllers once again lost radar and communication with planes coming in and out of Newark Liberty International Airport. The outage happened around 3:55 a.m. Friday and lasted about 90 seconds, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. This is the second time that communication went dark for 90 seconds between pilots and air traffic controllers. The first was on April 28, prompting several controllers taking trauma leave, only worsening staffing shortages in the agency.
NJ primary election 2025: Mikie Sherrill

1 week ago | njspotlightnews.org | Joanna Gagis

U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-11th), the former Navy helicopter pilot, prosecutor and mom of four, was one of the later candidates to jump into the Democratic primary race for New Jersey governor. But she quickly became the frontrunner after winning several county conventions, including Essex, Middlesex, Mercer and Ocean Counties. “Organization still matters. You go into a county, a big Democratic county. Somebody’s gonna have a list of volunteers. That’s a huge advantage for you.
Interim U.S. Attorney election 'task force' draws rebuke

1 week ago | njspotlightnews.org | Joanna Gagis

Alina Habba, the interim U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey, announced last week that she has created an “Election Integrity Task Force” for the state to help enforce President Trump’s proposed changes to the voting process in New Jersey and elsewhere. “Looking at my state in particular, the Department of Justice, the last Department of Justice just left behind simple basic things, she said. “Like elections that need to be secure,” she said.
Protest against cuts to funding for lead remediation

2 weeks ago | njspotlightnews.org | Joanna Gagis

The Grant family in Trenton is one of hundreds of thousands in New Jersey dealing with lead contamination in their environment. For some families, the contamination is from paint. Others are exposed to lead in the soil around their home. Exposure to any amount of lead is extremely harmful, especially for children under the age of six. “The damage is permanent, and it is profound: Brain impacts causing cognitive developmental delays, high blood pressure, nerve disorders.
Education commissioner explains school funding plan

3 weeks ago | njspotlightnews.org | Joanna Gagis

New Jersey Department of Education Commissioner Kevin Dehmer outlined the state’s record-level spending plan for education on Monday. This historic allocation of $22.2 billion includes $12.1 billion in direct formula aid for schools, a nearly $400 million increase over fiscal year 2025 levels.
Newark launches program to address homelessness at Penn Station

3 weeks ago | nj.com | Joanna Gagis

Editor’s note: This story was shared as part of a content-sharing agreement between Mosaic.NJ.com and NJ Spotlight News. You can follow them on Facebook and Twitter (or X). A wide-ranging effort will soon be launched to address the rising numbers of homeless individuals in and around Newark Penn Station in downtown Newark.
Why were student visas revoked for international students in NJ?

1 month ago | njspotlightnews.org | Joanna Gagis

Throughout the past week, international students at colleges and universities across New Jersey and the nation have learned that their visa status had been revoked. Rutgers, Rowan and Montclair State Universities have had about two dozen students notified so far. But questions have mounted to what exactly were the reasons for the action.
Latino Action Network Foundation faces 80% funding cut in N.J.

1 month ago | nj.com | Joanna Gagis

Editor’s note: This story was shared as part of a content-sharing agreement between Mosaic.NJ.com and NJ Spotlight News. You can follow them on Facebook and Twitter (or X).
Latino Action Network programs face massive cut in state aid

1 month ago | njspotlightnews.org | Joanna Gagis

Bertha Yungure says that the services provided by the Immigration and American Citizenship Organization in Paterson — from business courses to citizenship classes — have changed her life and the lives of her husband and three children since coming to the U.S.The organization, which has served the Latino community in Paterson for several decades, has seen a growing need for social supports.
NJ school districts scramble to close funding gaps

1 month ago | njspotlightnews.org | Joanna Gagis

For school superintendents in New Jersey, this is the time of year when they’re working the numbers from every angle, trying to come up with a balanced budget. But for many districts around the state, the numbers simply don’t add up. “After using our 2% cap increase that we’re mandated to by the [state] Department of Education, we’re going to be $22.3 million short,” said Michael Citta, superintendent of the Toms River Regional School District.