The Jersey City Independent "

Today is Veterans Day. City Hall, city agencies and the Parking Authority are all closed.

- Area hospitals, including Christ Hospital and the Jersey City Medical Center, have instituted a new policy barring anyone under 18 from visiting patients, in an effort to combat the spread of swine flu. Meanwhile, two more New Jersey deaths from the virus are being reported, bringing the total to 22.

- At the City Council meeting last night, the purchase of 34.52 acres of the former PJP Landfill for $12.4 million was approved, bringing the Hackensack Riverfront park one step closer to reality. The council tabled another big purchase — $4.6 million for the Parking Authority to buy the property it rents at 392-394 Central Ave.

- We’re not sure why this is a story, but the Journal is reporting that Ward C councilwoman Nidia Rivera Lopez is using money from her campaign to pay for her legal defense in the battle over her residency. As an ELEC spokesperson points out, that’s how it’s supposed to work.

- The Depository Trust and Clearing Corporation, which recently decided (greased by the wheels of massive subsidy) to relocate 1,600 jobs from Manhattan to Jersey City, might soon be followed by several other large Manhattan firms, including Deloitte, which is applying for subsidies in anticipation of relocating 1,400 jobs to either New Jersey of Connecticut. Another company, Ace Insurance, just announced it was leasing 19,019 square feet at the Exchange Place, taking occupancy in first quarter 2010. The Observer, which notes that the “periodic Jersey-Manhattan arms race goes back to at least 1985, when Bankers Trust relocated more than 1,000 jobs from Manhattan to a converted warehouse in Jersey City’s Harborside Financial Center.”

- Draw & Quarter has an interview with an unnamed member of the Agitators Collective in advance of their show that’s opening this Friday at 58 Gallery.

- A 50-year-old Jersey City man has been sentenced to prison for stealing nearly $1 million from victims he fraudulently convinced to invest in a garment and textile business that was not in operation.

In statewide news:

- A Tinton Falls man has filed a lawsuit alleging that U.S. officials were responsible for falsely imprisoning him for several months in Africa on suspicion of having ties to al-Qaeda.

- Governor-elect Chris Christie says he’ll consider adopting the state’s pay-to-play rules for his inauguration fundraising.

- South Jersey state Sen. Steve Sweeney will reportedly be elected state Senate president by his peers later this month, ousting Sen. Dick Codey, who has held the state’s second most powerful position since 2002.

- New Jersey’s homeowners are challenging property assessments at record pace.

- When the U.S. House narrowly passed health care reform legislation over the weekend, it was largely along party lines, with Democrats voting for and Republicans voting against, though there were exceptions. One of those was Democratic South Jersey Rep. John Adler, who is taking some heat for his “no” vote.

- PSE&G keeps the solar power train rolling, receiving permission from state regulators to finance another 51 megawatts of solar power.

- NJ Transit says it plans to develop a “cost-effective” maintenance program rather than overhaul its aging diesel locomotives.

- Target Corporation has agreed to a $375,000 settlement with the state of New Jersey to resolve a lawsuit alleging that its stores sold infant formula and non-prescription drugs beyond expiration dates, sold merchandise that did not match posted prices, and failed to post prices on its merchandise.

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