To back up with people checking out the accident. As we saw from chopper 2, already a 12mile backup, if you can take an alternate route and avoid the area. Live tonight in mobile weather lab, Tracee Carrasco, cbs 2 news. Turning now to campaign 2016, every president ial contender is here in new york tonight but not all are being welcomed with open arms, as the democrats get set to debate in about, the republicans are headed to a gala in midtown. Carolyn gusoff is live in patchogue long island where donald trump will first be attending a fundraiser at a location thats drawing controversy. Carolyn. Maurice. Donald trump just arrived. But his supporters and his hours. Emporium, thats the venue behind me. And the way police have it set a block away and then down the block opposite the venue are trump detractors. Immigrants. They are separated by the police to keep the peace. But its not just donald trump suburban voters. John kasich also on long island today and then tonight all of the gop hopefuls descend on new york city. Suffolk gop supporters lined up for a 150 per head fundraiser eager to have their moment in the national spotlight, a primary when new yorkers truly have a say. To experience an American Election being actually front row and part of it. Reporter all of the Republican White House hopes of were invited here but after a local endorsement, only donald trump accepted. I dont like some of the things he says sometimes. But i still believe we need a businessman. Go in there and straighten out the books. Reporter but the location the event held blocks from marcelo rue sierra row was murdered in at which time. I came because i think he hatred. Reporter john kasich at a town hall in jericho. Asked about the high cost of living here forcing younger parents. We have to have Economic Growth. It solves so many problems and we get Economic Growth if we dont crush Small Business by putting stupid rules on them. And we lower taxes. And finally, we have, you know, a reasonable plan to get the budget balanced. Reporter what would he tell his children if they came out as gay . I would say, i love you, girls. End of it. Reporter ted cruz campaigned in upstate new york. He says despite all the mudslinging, he thinks the Republican Party is coming together. We have to be united and stand together if were going to win the general election, beat Hillary Clinton and bring jobs and Economic Growth back reporter back live in patchogue, donald trump will speak right on time at 5 30 to 1300 people. From here, he goes back to new york city by helicopter to attend the republican annual gala tonight. Also in attendance will be john kasich and ted cruz. And protestors here say they will continue into the night. Reporting live from patchogue, long island, carolyn gusoff, cbs 2 news. That event back in the city could complicate things for commuters near Grand Central. Customers are being warned that street closures in the area could slow things down. Youre urged to allow extra travel time in the area. Time lapse video now as they set up the Brooklyn Navy yard for the democratic debate the candidates agreed to the debate relatively late so it a stage. The meeting will be the final one between Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders before next tuesdays primary. Cbs 2s Brian Conybeare live brian. Debate tonight here at the Brooklyn Navy yards is a very hot ticket. Some people even comparing it to the broadway smash hit musical, hamilton. It is not open to the public. Theres only about 1100 seats inside. People accessing those tickets through the campaigns or the Democrat National committee. Both candidates have been out recently aggressively courting the minority vote here in new york. [ applause and cheers ] reporter Bernie Sanders took a break from debate preparations thursday afternoon to speak at the National Action networks convention in midtown manhattan, one day after Hillary Clinton addressed the same gathering. He talked about racial and Economic Justice and blasted what he called Voter Suppression laws being passed by some republican governors across the country. The idea that they are passing laws restricting the right to vote making it harder for people to vote, poor people, old people, people of color, that is moving in clinton get a warm welcome at what was billed as an organizing event in coop city in the bronx and made a direct appeal to minority and immigrant voters she needs to rally to the polls next tuesday. Not saying some people dont belong, some people are not wanted. This is a borough of immigrants in a city of immigrants in a state of immigrants in a nation of immigrants and i am proud of that reporter while both candidates have their standard stump speeches and talking points, we decided to ask residents here in brooklyn what issues they would like to hear addressed at tonights debate. I would like to know how they plan to define Social Security in the future. I would like to hear them really address the issues of the republicans and what they are kind of placing on the are really dividing us. Reporter im sure the candidates will have some choice words for the republicans. It could be a nasty confrontation between sanders and clinton who are attacking reporting live from the Brooklyn Navy yards in fort greene, Brian Conybeare, cbs 2 news. The latest cbs news poll for the republicans shows donald trump on top maintaining a doubledigit lead. 42 of likely gop voters nationwide would like to see trump as the republican nominee. He is 13 points ahead of ted cruz. And while the majority are supporting trump, Republican Voters are almost evenly split over which candidate can unite the party. The poll on that topic gives john kasich the edge. For more on the cbs news polling numbers and for the republicans and democrats, and for a deeper dive, catch the cbs evening news at 6 30 and tonight at 11 00 for complete wrap up of all of tonights events. Donald Trumps Campaign manager is in the clear. Prosecutors have dropped a Battery Charge that was leveled against him. While the evidence in this case is legally sufficient for the police to have charged mr. Lewandowski, its not Strong Enough to meet the legal burden of a reasonable likelihood of a conviction. Surveillance video from West Palm Beach captured the incident that led to the charge. It shows him grabbing a reporter by the arm after a trump rally. Fields later tweeted a picture of her bruised forearm saying lewandowski yanked her backwards. Trump says the video shows fields exaggerated it and also revealed that she had touched him. Now to a developing story. The manslaughter conviction will stand against a former nypd officer who accidentally shot and killed an unarmed man in a stairwell. The defense had raised some questions over one of the jurors in the case. Cbs 2s Hazel Sanchez live in downtown brooklyn with more on the conviction. Hazel. Reporter maurice, the judge just ruled that former new York City Police officer peter liang will not get a new trial for killing akai gurley. His defense attorney argued that a juror had a bias against police leading to that guilty verdict. But the judge disagreed and now the verdict will stand. Attorneys for liang had argued that juror Michael Vargas lied about having a Family Member accused of a crime so he could get on the jury for liangs trial but it was later revealed that vargas father was convicted for accidentally shooting a friend to death. Vargas testified before the court for the last two days saying he didnt lie, that he did not hate police. The judge bluntly said he didnt feel the 67yearold was bright enough to lie his way on to a jury and then ruled the verdict will stand. Akai gurleys family says the judges ruling is a small victory. Liangs family says he will appeal the ruling. Obviously, were very decision to deny the motion to vacate the verdict, but i thought there was sufficient evidence there where vargas was ducking questions and he is not forthcoming with answers. They wanted it to be a mistrial. [ yelling ] they wanted peter liang to not be held accountable for anything thats the message that the defense is trying to send thats the message that they thought they was going to send. But now, justice the judge made the right decision. Reporter again, peter liang plans to appeal todays ruling. He will be sentenced on tuesday. Prosecutors are recommending he serve no jail time. Hazel sanchez, cbs2 news, brooklyn. The bronx mother whose two young daughters were killed in a fire returned to her Apartment Building today. Authorities said she left her children alone with incense cbs 2s Steve Langford reports. Reporter apartment 3f where two little girls left alone in here wednesday about 6 p. M. Died from smoke and fire. The mother of the two children, one a 2yearold, the other 18 months, the distraught parent in no condition to speak about the fire in her apartment. Miss, were children alone . [ crying ] Reporter Police now confirming the two little girls were left all by themselves while their mother, seen on Surveillance Video in the purple jacket, spent at least halfhour at this laundromat across the street. Neighbors on the third floor tried to help. We heard kids crying but it was too black. We couldnt breathe. Then the mother came running from across the street saying, you know, looking and my babies, my babies reporter not only had the babies been left alone but incense had been left burning inside the apartment. Home of these gambian immigrants. Its dangerous. Reporter the person who lives in the apartment above the fire scene said she spoke to the mother recently about burning incense and leaving her Young Children alone. Dangerous because anything could happen. Reporter the mother has told police she assumed another adult she says she sublets a room to was home at the time, but police have no evidence thats true. Family and friends he is scored away by police as a local person offered Community Support and understanding. Its not her intention to leave her family alone. She went to the laundry and she was about to come back to them. Reporter atop a load of laundry that still sits across the street, a lunchbox that belongs to one. Tiny victims. In the bronx, Steve Langford, cbs 2 news. So far no charges have been filed against the mother. In just a moment, does it bother you when people are on their phones at the movies . Still ahead, the major chain texting in its theaters. Her house is cracked and she blames construction going on next door. Why she thinks her complaints are being ignored. Coming up. Also, a crackdown on recess. The action some lawmakers want to take to protect childrens free time at school. Rutgers got a big name to speak at their commencement. Beautiful day temperatures nice no win, no rain. Bit. In new york state, we believe tomorrow starts today. All across the state, the economy is growing, with creative new business incentives, the lowest taxes in decades, and new infrastructure for a new generation attracting the talent and companies of tomorrow. With worldclass botox. And in buffalo, where medicine meets the future. Let us help grow your companys tomorrow today at business. Ny. Gov we need jobs that provide dignity and a bright future. New penalties to stop companies from moving profits and jobs overseas. For businesses that create manufacturing jobs, a new tax credit. And lets invest in clean energy jobs, with 500 million solar panels installed by the end of her first term. A real plan to create new jobs and industries of the future. Hillary clinton. Im Hillary Clinton and i approve this message. Parts of down newark are in the dark after a major power outage that started at 1 30 this morning. Rutgers university, more than 100 classes were canceled. Cbs 2s ilana gold explains night. Reporter pseg crews working nonstop since 1 0 this morning along University Avenue in newark to repair a failure. It caused this manhole Rutgers University campus and students captured the flames on camera. Broken pieces of that manhole cover now scattered across the sidewalk. It was just like flames literally just shooting out of like the ground. I was pretty scared like i was like its a fire like in school. Reporter 140 classes had to be canceled. But assignments are still due so we still have to go and go out of our way and try to find a building that has wi fi. Reporter that left hundreds of students scrambling for a solution. Two of the dorms had been in the dark, too. No power so the showers theres no lights or anything so you have to go in there with flashlights. Reporter the power also knocked out at st. Michaels Medical Center thats been using backup generators so patients arent affected. Five other nearby locations including the new Jersey Institute of technology and even the pseg building have no electricity. We understand that this is an inconvenience but well make the repairs as quickly and safely as we can. Reporter they are trying workers have to run new cable through the underground network to make a permanent fix and say power might not be restored until 11 p. M. A spokesman for rutgers says the school is anticipating that these repairs will be complete by tonight. And its planning for classes to resume tomorrow morning. In newark, new jersey, ilana gold, cbs 2 news. Rutgers says president obama will deliver its commencement address next month. He will speak before 12,000 graduating students and 40,000 guests at the universitys football stadium in piscataway on may 15. It is an historic event for rutgers. Its the first time a sitting president will speak at commencement and its the universitys 250th graduation ceremony. A debate over recess at a new Jersey School after administrators seemed to be giving it a timeout. Now one parent is making his meg baker reports. Reporter its everybody but some schools are cutting back on play time in new jersey. Its an age to be out getting sunshine, running around, i mean, you cant be confined to desks all day. Reporter state senator Shirley Turner has reintroduced a bill to make recess mandatory across the state. We need to get our students moving, our children moving, because they have a sedentary lifestyle. Reporter governor Chris Christie vetoed the bill the last time it hit his desk. Today, he explained saying recess is not a state issue and should be handled locally. If youre parent who thinks theres not enough recess during the day, then go to your local school board first, how about going to your principal . Reporter thats exactly what rachel egan is doing in montclair. She started a petition to build a better recess. Now with 400 signatures asking the Montclair School board to make recess 40 minutes. School isnt all about academics. Most of us learned our best social skills in the playground. And lucy who get 23 minutes of recess at their school each day. Youre thinking more time out there . Yes. I think that we should have 40 minutes to run around and get our energy out. Kids need to play and playing is basically learning. They need that running around going crazy before they come home and be with us. Reporter wednesday fisher says last year she only got 30 minutes for lunch and recess combined. Usually the kids, my friends, would throw out their lunch to go out to have recess. Reporter egan and other parents are bringing their petition to next weeks school board meeting. We reached out to the superintendent, and did not get a response. In montclair, new jersey, meg baker, cbs 2 news. The state recess bill goes to the Senate Education committee on may 2. Our weather picture starting to come more into focus. Its starting to actually look like spring out there. Cant believe it. Lonnie quinn has our exclusive cbs 2 forecast. We are adding a click or two every day today on the thermometer. Now of 62 with sunny skies. So looks a lot like spring, i agree with maurice. Picture for tomorrow is going to be a perfect one. Pictureperfect, 63. It will be warmer tomorrow. Its the warmer where there will be an issue with the temperatures. No freeze warnings tomorrow but we have a frost advisory for a good chunk of new jersey and your temperatures could drop down to the mid to low 30s and there could be frost on the windshield or on the blades of grass out there. So in the city, you wake up and theres still a chill in manhattan, as well. Starting off around 42 degrees in the city. Well warm up to that 63 degrees tomorrow so its going to be another goodlooking one but i have already hinted at the fact that we are going to get better and better with each day so lets look at that extended forecast coming up. Back to you. Thank you. Tonight compelling new video surfaces nearly two years since nearly 300 nigerian schoolgirls were kidnapped by militants from the group boko haram. Appears to show about 15 girls still in captivity. It was reportedly filmed past christmas. One by one the girls recite their names. The video was shown to Family Members and mothers broke out into tears as they recognized their d