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- At-Large councilman Mariano Vega* was indicted on federal corruption charges yesterday after being arrested in the late-July sweep. The eight-count indictment adds the charge of lying to federal investigators to the charges Vega* was arrested for, namely, taking $30,000 in bribes from a FBI informant. He tells the Journal he intends to “clear his name” and will plead not guilty. Meanwhile, Ward E councilman Steven Fulop says he will renew his call for Vega* to step down from the council; Mayor Healy says that decision “is a matter to be considered over the next few days.”

- The JCPD has issued Paulus Hook Towers a summons carrying a fine of up to $1,200, alleging there was no security guard at the site when a woman was killed and her infant was stabbed multiple times last week.

- Judge Maurice Gallipoli has ruled that the Hudson County Board of Freeholders should have sought new proposals for medical services at the county jail when bids came in too high; the freeholders say they will put out another call for bids. The county was sued by a losing bidder, which charged the freeholders will violating the state’s pay to play law by awarding the contract to someone who had donated to one freeholder’s political fund.

- The City Council has approved a nearly $130,000 contract to a Hackensack company for the relocation of 27 wayfinding signs.

- At least two names continue to circulate as potential successors to embattled Hudson County Democratic Organization chairman Jerramiah Healy, whose term will be up in June 2010: Union City mayor Brian Stack and Bayonne mayor Mark Smith.

- A 39-year-old Jersey City man and a 51-year-old man from Upper Saddle River were convicted in Newark yesterday for their role in a multimillion-dollar mortgage fraud scam.

In statewide news:

- The transition team of Gov.-elect Chris Christie is hard at work laying the groundwork for the Republican governor’s first term.

- Two people dressed up as the biblical figures Mary and Joseph, along with clergy members and housing advocates, staged a protest on the State House steps yesterday, calling for more affordable housing and help for the homeless.

- Senate president Dick Codey says he has no intention of posting a controversial bill that has been floated by other Democrats that sought to change the way U.S. Senate vacancies are filled.