The Jersey City Independent "

- The corruption trial of suspended deputy mayor Leona Beldini rolled on last week, with the prosecution questioning federal informant Solomon Dwek — and releasing a few of its secret videotapes — on Friday. More coverage from the NY Times and the Journal. Today the defense team will get a shot at Dwek.

- Is last week’s citizen turnout at the City Council meeting “a sign of things to come?” The Insider ponders that question, and a few others.

- Hudson County’s revenues have dropped by a whopping 56 percent over the past five years, or $8.5 million. County executive Tom DeGise, in last week’s State of the County address, acknowledged the tough economic times, but noted that county government continues to serve an important function. (Story not currently online.)

- Speaking of Hudson County, Union City mayor Brian Stack is considering taking a shot at becoming the new head of the Hudson County Democratic Organization; the HCDO is currently led by Mayor Healy, but his term expires this summer, and Sen. Bob Menendez reportedly will not endorse Healy’s re-election.

- The Times has a quick review of Jersey City’s Atomic Wings, and notes that the owners are stocking up for an expected surge in orders come Super Bowl Sunday.

- A 55-year-old North Arlington man died after falling into the Hackensack River from the Wittpenn Bridge on Friday.

- Today will be Jersey City 911 call-takers‘ first day in the new Public Safety Communications Center on Bishop Street.

Today’s Best Bet:

- If you’re a musician, or if you just want to sit back and enjoy some hot blues on a cold January night, swing by the Iron Monkey tonight for Big Ed’s World Famous Blues Jam.

In statewide news:

- New Jersey is expecting a “surge” of refugees from the devastating Jan. 12 earthquake in Haiti, which would create a humanitarian crisis and put new pressure on a state treasury already in peril, according to confidential documents obtained by reporters.

- Several suggestions from the Christie transition team could “all but gut” the horse racing industry in New Jersey. The suggestions included possibly closing Meadowlands Racetrack and drastically reducing the number of racing days at Monmouth Park.

- Meanwhile, transportation experts are predicting that Interstates 78, 80, 195, 287 and 295 are likely targets to become toll roads, based on a different report from Christie’s transition team.

- To save money, the state isn’t shipping tax forms and instruction booklets to libraries and post offices this year, which has led some libraries to print off copies from the internet themselves.

- Two of New Jersey’s five prestigious governor’s school summer programs for gifted teenagers have been canceled because of a lack of funds.

- We’ve been wondering what former Gov. Corzine will do to keep busy in the coming months and years, and now we have part of an answer: he’s in talks to teach economics or government on a part-time basis at Rutgers University.

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