Monday Morning News Roundup
By Jon Whiten • Feb 8th, 2010 • Category: Blog- The defense rested its case Friday in the federal corruption trial of suspended deputy mayor Leona Beldini, as the judge warned Beldini’s attorney not to argue in his closing argument on Monday for jury nullification. The jury is expected to get the case today. MORE: Here are two reports from the Journal; Bob Braun profiles the case’s judge, U.S. District Judge Jose Linares; and blogger Carola Von Hoffmannstahl-Solomonoff says Jersey City’s reality show trumps MTV’s Jersey Shore any day.
- Two 21-year-old Jersey City men have been arrested in connection with the murders of two Jersey City cousins early last week. They are being held on bail of $1 million cash.
- The head of the Jersey City Fire Department’s union says the department is badly understaffed, and that further cuts proposed by the administration to help close the budget gap will jeopardize firefighters’ and residents’ safety. The city and the fire chief both disagree.
- Ward E councilman Steven Fulop seems to be gearing up for his expected mayoral run already, with a $250 a head fundraiser at Puccini’s last week. It’s being called the biggest fundraiser of the Downtown councilman’s career. MORE: From the Insider, and Wally Edge.
- As a group of citizens gets ready to stage what they’re calling a “tax revolt” at the City Council meeting this week, David Cruz has a request. “Can we please have some more of the reasoned speeches. If all you wanna do is tell the city council how stupid, corrupt, lazy, incompetent and ugly they are, you’re not really breaking any new ground. I think they already know how you feel,” he writes. “Chanting ‘No new taxes’ is not a real suggestion.”
- Workmen have removed the bronze Peter Stuyvesant statue from its place in front of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. School. Why? The Insider isn’t 100 percent sure, but he’s got some of the backstory here.
- The street artist that goes by the name Johnny Large talks to Draw & Quarter about his work.
- Police say they have procured video proof that the pregnant Jersey City woman they thought had gone missing instead voluntarily left the United States and went to Puerto Rico.
- A small kitchen fire temporarily closed the Lamp Post yesterday afternoon.
Today’s Best Bets:
- Hudson Restaurant Week — always a good opportunity to grab some good food and support local restaurants — enters its final few days today; check out a full list of participating restaurants and see what they’re featuring here.
In statewide news:
- Gov. Christie and lawmakers from both parties will reportedly unveil a series of sweeping pension and benefit reforms today that could affect every public employee in New Jersey while saving the state billions of dollars.
- Confirmation hearings for Gov. Christie’s cabinet nominees begin today, with the nominees for attorney general and for military and veterans affairs scheduled to go before the Senate Judiciary Committee.
- Facing uncertainty over how much state aid will be available for public schools, districts around New Jersey are anxiously waiting for word from the state and preparing to taking a hard look at their budgets with an eye toward cuts.
- Brian Murray sits down with Bob Martin, Gov. Christie’s choice to head the Department of Environmental Protection.
- A Star-Ledger review of dozens of financial records and interviews with arts officials shows the economic downturn has been more devastating for New Jersey’s nonprofit arts groups — and many of the Downtown districts that depend on their success — than anticipated.
- The results of a Teamsters bid to unionize about 8,000 Continental Airlines ramp workers, including more than 2,500 at Newark Liberty International Airport, are expected to be announced today amid union complaints that Continental has improperly tried to block online communication between organizers and workers.
- Former Gov. Corzine sits down for a chat about corruption, Hoboken and his future.
- Under new proposals being evaluated by the Motor Vehicle Commission and Division of Highway Traffic Safety, all New Jersey drivers would undergo periodic vision testing.
- A bill being considered today by a Senate panel would give a sales tax break on some energy-efficient vehicles and appliances.
- Legislation that would allow New Jersey’s horse racing tracks and Atlantic City casinos to accept wagers on sporting events will soon go before an Assembly panel.
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Jon Whiten is the founding editor of the Jersey City Independent.
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