NJN News; Thursday, April 12, 2007

You NJN News is made possible by the Horizon Foundation for New Jersey, promoting health, well-being, and quality of life in New Jersey's communities. BP, working to meet New Jersey's growing energy needs. The New Jersey Association of Real Tours, advocate for private property rights and the real estate industry since 1917. And by the Proformance Insurance Company, a New Jersey Insurance Company ensuring New Jersey individuals, families, and businesses. Governor Corzine is injured tonight after his motorcade is involved in a parkway crash. We'll have a live report.

The largest state worker union ratifies a new four-year contract. The state's health commissioner tells lawmakers lack of funds, threatens to close hospitals. And a survey shows skyrocketing health care costs are hurting local businesses. NJN News for Thursday, April 12th. Governor Corzine undergoes surgery tonight after suffering injuries from an early evening crash along the Garden State Parkway. The state's chief executive is hospitalized at this hour after sustaining chest and leg injuries from an accident on the parkway in Atlanta County. The governor remains in critical but stable condition at Cooper University Hospital in Camden. The crash happened shortly after 6 o'clock this evening on the parkway near Milemarker 44.5 in Galloway Township, Atlanta County. From the scene of the crash there, the governor was removed by stretcher and whisked away by helicopter to Cooper University Hospital where he underwent surgery. State House correspondent Jim Hooker is at the hospital in Camden with the latest on the governor's condition and the parkway crash.

Jim? Kent, the governor may still be undergoing surgery just inside Cooper here at this very hour. He was up until a half an hour ago, at least, which is the latest update that we had. His injuries include several broken ribs, some chest injuries, and a left leg that apparently is fractured in a number of places this according to doctors. In the governor's place, while he's undergoing surgery and he is under anesthesia, we're told Senate President Dick Cody has stepped in to be acting governor for whatever period is necessary. Now, the governor's aids and doctors here make it a point to say those injuries are not life-threatening, but the governor does remain in surgery and in this hospital and expected to remain at least overnight and from there, doctors just haven't said. Now, the governor was, we had just seen the governor earlier today in Atlantic City for a conference of mayors where he spoke. A couple of hours after that, he left the conference of mayors and was headed north on the parkway to that mile marker that Kent discussed.

And he was, and route to Drumthwackett, we're told, where he was going to have a private meeting with Don Eimes and the Rutgers University women's basketball team at Drumthwackett to discuss that controversy when all of the sudden off the shoulder we're told here tonight, a red pickup truck driving erratically made its way onto the parkway off the shoulder, forcing a white pickup truck into line with the governor's vehicle. Being driven by a state trooper, as is the case with the governor, wherever he goes, troopers drive him. And he was in the right front passenger seat, and at that point, the trooper took evasive measures to miss that pickup truck. Apparently did hit it in the rear, however, and wound up, as you see it there, up onto the guardrail. The governor in the right front passenger seat, we're not told whether he's wearing a seat belt or not, a gubernatorial aide Samantha Gordon. His right hand woman, as it were, was in the left back passenger seat seated.

She is apparently okay inside the hospital right now, and trooper Robert Rzynski was the driver who took the evasive measures he is in the hospital, and he is being cared for. However, doctors are not talking about his injuries. Now, this was just less than two hours ago, the press was given an update inside the hospital, and let's hear from some of the leaders there talking. While in route from the New Jersey Conference of Mayor's annual conference in Atlantic City, the governor's two-car motorcade was involved in an accident on the Garden State Parkway. His injuries are not life-threatening. Governor Corzon was in route to Drunk Wacket, the governor's mansion, in Princeton, New Jersey. He was scheduled to host a private meeting between the women of the Rutgers basketball team and radio talk show host Don I miss. That private meeting has proceeded.

The governor is still undergoing surgery at this time, since New Jersey has no lieutenant governor. Senate president Dick Cody is acting governor at the moment. This is preliminary information from the accident investigation. Shortly after 6 p.m. this evening, Governor Corzon's vehicle driven by state trooper Robert Rzynski was involved in a motor vehicle accident on the Garden State Parkway in Galaway Township, Atlanta County. The location is mile post 44.5 on the northbound side. According to the preliminary crash investigation, a small red pickup truck made an erratic move entering the roadway from the shoulder into the path of a white Dodge Ram pickup. The white Dodge made an evasive maneuver by pulling hard to the left. At this point, the governor's Chevrolet Tahoe, which was traveling in the left lane, attempted but was unable to avoid impacting the rear of the white Dodge pickup and lost directional control. The Tahoe slid sideways, striking the end of a guide rail in the center median, with the passenger side of the vehicle.

As a result of this impact, Governor Corzon and Trooper Rzynski were injured. They were transported here to Cooper Hospital for treatment of non-life threatening injuries. The governor's aid, Samantha Gordon, was also taken to Cooper for evaluation. The red pickup involved in the incident did not stop at the scene. Several people including state troopers assigned to the governor's protective detail observed this vehicle. The driver and passenger of the white Dodge have given preliminary statements to troopers at our best river station on the Garden State Parkway. According to preliminary witness reports, the red pickup was driving erratically prior to causing this accident. We're still attempting to locate this vehicle on the parkway in the surrounding area. At the time of the accident, the roads were dry and there was no rain at the time of the crash. Traffic was flowing and the speed is not considered to be a contributing circumstance. The accident investigation remains active and more information will be made available at a later time.

From our preliminary investigation, it looks as if the trooper did a tremendous job in maintaining what control he could over that vehicle, given the fact that the other vehicle swerved into his path. The governor at the moment is stable. He is in the operating room having leg fractures intended to. He also has chest injuries with mobile rip fractures, and he will be hospitalized in our intensive care unit in critical but stable condition. He has no head injury. How's the trooper? The trooper has requested that no information be given about his condition. The area is getting leg fractures, not many leg fractures. That's all the information that I've permitted to get. He has one leg broken. I'm not going to be able to give any further information. You're making me think. Left.

We have our accident investigation team out now. There's going to be more information that's going to be forthcoming, but we have to let the troopers do the job of investigating the accident right now. Have all the drivers involved involved in the accident? Only the driver of the white pickup truck, which is the vehicle that originally swerved to avoid the red pickup truck, which left the scene. We have a lookout on that red pickup truck, but as of the last information I got, that pickup truck has not been located. We have any identification factors in that vehicle at all. Right now, all we have is a red pickup truck, but we have cameras we can take a look out there on the parkway, so that's all part of the investigation. The governor was in the right front passenger seat. His aide, Samantha Gordon, was seated in the left rear passenger seat behind Trooper Rizinski, who was driving the vehicle. I'm sorry.

Was he accelerating from a stop off the shoulder because he said he's been driving there's indications he's been driving radically. The information that we have right now is that he was on the right shoulder. He started to go over to the berm or the grassy area, which is adjacent to the shoulder, and then swerved suddenly back into the roadway, causing the white vehicle to make the maneuver it did in front of the governor's Tahoe. I believe you said that the speaker is not a factor. You tell us what speed the governor's motor tape is going, typically they'll go out of the passenger seat. It's all of that is part of the investigation, and that's certainly going to be included in the investigation after doing right now. The information was between the governor's vehicle and the white pickup truck. It was exactly. It was the white pickup truck, which swerved over into the left lane in front of the governor's Tahoe. I don't have that information at this time.

Don't have that information at this time. A fire I haven't gotten those reports. No, it did not. It stayed upright. Again, at this hour, the governor is hospitalized here at Cooper Medical Center in Camden. May well still be undergoing surgery. He has a broken left leg, fractures in a number of places, broken ribs, chest injuries, no head injury, and nothing life threatening according to the doctors here. However, he will be kept overnight. And while the governor is here, at least for the moment, Senate President Dick Cody is now, once again, acting governor of the state of New Jersey. And at the Gordon, the aide had been under observation. We're told that she's up and around now and waiting like everyone else. And the trooper, again, they did not want to give any information about his injuries. So that's it for now. From Camden, I'm Jim Hooker reporting live. Kent back to you in the studio.

Thank you for your report, Jim. In other news, the largest state worker union has ratified a new four-year contract today. It gives 43,000 state workers a 13 percent wage increase over four years, but requires health care and pension concessions. It also signals an end to contentious negotiations that raised conflict of interest questions about the governor and Carla Katz, a union leader whom he once dated. The contract, which requires state workers to contribute to their health care costs for the first time, was ratified by 63 percent of workers, 37 percent rejected it. At a budget hearing today, the state health and senior services commissioner told lawmakers that New Jersey's health care system is broken. And as Adrian Supino reports, Commissioner Fred Jacobs says the state doesn't have enough money to fix it. In a rather, in a short sentence, is it good, bad? Is it bad? Let me say it like this. The overall health care system in the state of New Jersey is broken.

Dr. Fred Jacobs, the state commissioner of health and senior services, says New Jersey's health care is in crisis. But his department's proposed budget is 6 percent less than last year. We have a limited amount of revenue, and we have to deal with the money we have allocated. The department requested the same amount of money, about $580 million for charity care. The program that helps hospitals cover the cost of uninsured patients. Lawmakers questioned the wisdom of continually underfunding charity care, particularly when it's tied to federal matching funds. When other costs go up in government, we somehow always manage to fund them. We don't say that's tough. But when charity care for all these years, we've said it is what it is. That's all you're going to get. Well, to use your analogy of not finding enough meat on the bone, all we're doing as the uninsured pool grows, is add water to the soup. They have to manage their business in a way that conforms to the reality of the financial circumstances they find themselves in.

Lack of charity care is one reason why many New Jersey hospitals are financially struggling, and in some cases, closing. A governor has formed a commission to study the status of hospitals that could result in closures. The New Jersey Hospital Association says many hospitals are already on the brink. They are coming to the department for assistance and for help that I don't hear is available at this point. So, I would say so. Governor Corzine has said when the budget is complete, health care reform will be his administration's top priority. The governor's commission on hospital closings will make its first report in May. But Dr. Jacobs does not expect the commission to name names, or in this case, hospitals rather give criteria for which hospitals deserve public assistance, and which hospitals should simply be closed. Adrian Sapino and JN News, the state house. When the governor's accident happened earlier this evening, he was on his way to Princeton to meet with Don Eimes and the Rutgers Women's Basketball team.

Well, tonight Eimes is a man without a broadcast. Just a day after MSNBC yanked its simulcast of his radio program, CBS Radio pulled the plug on it as well. Eimes gained international notoriety after he described the Rutgers Women's Basketball players in racially insulting ways. His comments ignited protests at the university and around the nation. The remarks came a day after the basketball team lost the Women's National Championship game. And we'll be back with more NJN News coming up in just a moment. Stay with us. NJN News is made possible by PSZNG, serving customers, strengthening the business community, and investing in New Jersey's future. Wacovia, uncommon wisdom for shared success. The New York Shipping Association, the men and women of the port of New York and New Jersey, delivering more goods to more places, online at delivering prosperity.com. Verizon, communication solutions designed for the people and businesses of New Jersey.

And by the New Jersey Education Association, working for great public schools for every child. If you have a weekend heart attack, your risk of death is 1% higher than if your heart attack were to occur Monday through Friday. Those findings by researchers at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School were published recently in the New England Journal of Medicine.

And as NJN News Health and Medical correspondent Sarah Lee Kessler reports, the study is generating controversy. The study tracked more than 230,000 patients admitted to New Jersey hospitals for first time heart attacks. During a 15-year span from 1987 to 2002. We found that the mortality of patients during those years admitted Saturday and Sunday was higher than those patients admitted from Monday to Friday. Nearly 1% higher, which according to study co-author Dr. Abel Morella, translates into 10 additional deaths per 1,000 heart attack admissions. The main reason? We found that the usage of angioplasty during the weekends was less than during the weekdays. Angioplasty involves the inflation of a tiny balloon to open a blocked heart artery.

It reduces the patient's risk of death by 40%, but only if it can be done within 90 minutes of arrival at the hospital. On weekends, many cardiac catheterization labs where angioplasty is done are staffed by physicians who are on call rather than at the hospital. There are issues of resource allocation and cardiologists who are available on weekends and cardiac caffeine. So the data doesn't really surprise me, but I think that we've been working very hard to try and alleviate a lot of those problems. The New Jersey Hospital Association believes the data used in the weekend heart attack study is outdated. Muleenberg Regional Medical Center in Plainfield, for instance, claims a 2006 door to balloon time of just 76 minutes, whether on weekends or weekdays. It starts right from the paramedics, and that's really the key. If the paramedic can identify that the patient is having acute micro-affarction, they will contact us and activate the system. Paramedic teams, like the ones at University Hospital in Newark, now routinely bypass the emergency room with heart attack patients.

Carmine Giordano, who was treated at Muleenberg, believes that's why he's alive following his weekend heart attack. I'm living proof I'm here a year later. Sarah Lee Kessler, NJN News, Plainfield. And we'll be back with more NJN News coming up in just a moment. In business news, the cost of providing insurance is $1,000. The cost of providing insurance for employees continues to skyrocket.

The New Jersey Business and Industry Association Annual Health Benefits Survey finds in 2006 employers paid 11.3% more to cover their workers. The association says small businesses, those with between two and 19 workers, are having the toughest time. But even companies like Trenton-based Griffith Electric, which has 60 employees, are feeling the strain and are increasingly turning to workers to share the cost. The employees are very dissatisfied. I mean, it's each year it's a bigger plate out of their paycheck and the cost of insurance is not keeping up with the cost of their increases. And Kershner says that they are urging state lawmakers to develop legislation that would reform the state's health insurance system to make it more affordable. Employees at Bally's in Atlantic City want to be dealt into a union. Dealers say that they're seeking representation with the United Auto Workers Union. More than 1,000 workers would join if approved. Bally's is owned by Harris.

If an election were held and a union approved, Bally's would join Caesars and the Trump Plaza in union representation. Trump marina workers are also seeking UAW membership. The drug that Merck proposed to replace its one-time blockbuster painkiller viox has received an overwhelming rejection today from a food and drug administration advisory panel. The panel of medical experts voted 20 to 1 in urging the FDA not to approve Arcaxia. Merck was counting on Arcaxia in its attempt to rebound after it pulled viox from the market in 2004. While the FDA is not bound to accept review panel recommendations, it usually does. Stocks recovered today from yesterday's declines. On Wall Street, the Dow gained 68 points to close at 12,0552. The MX rose 12, the Nasdaq climbed 21, and the S&P gained 9. The 10-year note was unchanged. It's yielded 4.74%. When NJN News continues, we'll have more on the latest of the governor's condition.

Here's tomorrow's air quality forecast. The gang problem in Essex County is one that must be met head on. We all know it. But what can you do to stop it? That's just one of the challenges facing Paula Dow. She may have the toughest job in New Jersey law enforcement, and she's our only guest on the next edition of Due Process. Due Process Sunday morning at 9.30 and Sunday night at 6.30 here on NJN. And we leave you tonight with the latest on the governor's condition following his SUV crash along the parkway tonight. We go live now to Cooper University Hospital in Camden, and that's where Jim Hooker is standing by with more on the story. Jim? Kent, well, at this hour, the governor is still undergoing surgery. That was just confirmed with his press secretary who came through our spot here just a couple of minutes ago. And that surgery may well extend for another hour or more into the night.

There's been an update on the governor's condition or more on the governor's injuries. He's in critical but stable condition, and we're told still non-life threatening. However, we have a rundown of what's been confirmed in terms of those injuries. He's got six broken ribs, six on each side. He's got a broken sternum. He broke his collarbone. He has a slight fracture to his lower vertebrae. Furthermore, he has a laceration to the head, which will require several stitches. And of course, he has a broken left leg. There are several fractures there, we're told. Furthermore, there appears to be no brain or spinal damage to the governor. This, according to the press secretary who came through here, as I say, just moments ago. And of course, the media was briefed about two hours ago by the surgeon and by the lieutenant colonel of the state police on the entire incident. The trooper who was driving the governor, Robert Rzynski, no status has been given us to his injuries because he says that he does not want that publicized.

His family, we're told, is here at Cooper Hospital with him. Samantha Gordon, the aide, who was taken here for observation, we're told is okay now. The governor, of course, was metevacked here from the parkway just after six o'clock tonight. And with that, Kent will send it back to you in the studio. I'm Jim Hooker, live in Camden. All right, Jim. Thank you for that update. And that's NJN News. I'm Kent Manahan from all of us here. Thank you for watching and tuning in tomorrow for the latest on the governor's condition. More hidden children now are speaking about their experiences.

I mean there's some people who, when the camps who can't speak about it, same as some hidden children cannot speak about it. And it's our generation not really those hidden children who can tell the story. Tonight at midnight on NJN. As parents, we make choices for our children every day. That includes what they want. Hello, lottery players. I'm Meredith Carker. It's Thursday, April 12, 2007.

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