The Jersey City Independent "

- Prosecutors rested their case yesterday in the federal corruption trial of suspended deputy mayor Leona Beldini, without ever calling Edward Cheatam to the stand. Meanwhile, the girlfriend of deceased political consultant Jack Shaw testified that Shaw gave her cash and she wrote out personal checks to campaigns.

- Sparks are flying between Ward E councilman Steven Fulop and former mayor Gerry McCann. Earlier this week, Fulop issued a release chastising the Healy administration for McCann’s new position as an inspector with the Jersey City Incinerator Authority, claiming it was payback for McCann “delivering” Sean Connors to the Healy organization. Connors was once seen as a threat to Ward D councilman Bill Gaughan, but last year he opted to run for school board instead; Connors was endorsed by Healy and Gaughan, won a seat on the board, and in turn endorsed the Healy team during the municipal election. (Connors, like Fulop, is also reportedly interested in the mayor’s office in 2013.) McCann, a convicted felon who went to federal prison in the 90s for bank fraud, swung back, promising to sue Fulop so aggressively that it will put an end to his higher office aspirations. Meanwhile, state Sen. Sandra Cunningham says she’s OK with McCann’s new job.

- Assemblyman Charles Mainor is calling the men of the community together in the wake of the double-murder on Woodlawn Avenue early Tuesday morning, where a 17-year-old and 26-year-old were both shot in the head.

- Jersey City biotech company Lux Biosciences has filed its Luveniq drug treatment in the U.S. and Europe, and it plans on requesting a priority review for the drug in the U.S. The medication treats noninfectious uveitis that affects parts of the eye.

- A 22-year-old Jersey City man is the public spokesperson for Newark’s new “Status is Everything” HIV prevention and testing campaign.

- A Superior Court judge will hear a motion for summary judgment today filed by a Tea Party group that wants to recall U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez.

- The first-ever “Green Teen Music and Arts Festival” will be held tonight at Grace Church Van Vorst; look for a JCI report from the event next week.

- The Boys & Girls Club of Hudson County will honor the JCPD at its 117th annual dinner of the Board of Trustees on Tuesday.

- Christ Hospital and the American Cancer Society are offering a free program to help women undergoing cancer treatment on Monday.

- Lastly, a little pat on our own backs: John R. Bohrer’s latest dispatch from the Beldini trial has been dubbed a “must-read” by Politicker’s Wally Edge.

In statewide news:

- David J. Rosen from the Office of Legislative Services told the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee yesterday that the state’s deficit could climb as high as $11 billion by June 30.

- Top Democrats are saying that with the state’s budget problems, the tax increase on the wealthiest New Jerseyans originally thought to be temporary should be back on the table. Gov. Christie has repeatedly said he would not reinstate the tax.

- A pair of bills introduced by state Sen. Loretta Weinberg yesterday aim to give residents greater access to public records and more awareness of government meetings.

- A bill advancing in the legislature would prevent developers and landowners from facing a series of changes in local law halfway through the application process.

- As the nation gets ready for Super Bowl Sunday, Senate Republican leader Tom Kean says he wants the NFL’s top game in New Jersey in 2014. “New Jersey offers the best venue for the Super Bowl, period,” he says in a statement announcing his introduction of a Senate resolution urging the NFL to select New Jersey as the location for Super Bowl XLVIII.

- A Senate committee has approved legislation that would force hospitals to adopt policies regulating conflicts of interests with board members.

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