The Jersey City Independent "

Share/Save

- Big news in Jersey City yesterday as the jury handed down its verdict in the federal corruption trial of suspended deputy mayor Leona Beldini. She was found guilty on two of the six counts against her and faces a potential decades-long jail sentence. Her defense attorney pledges to fight the “inconsistent” ruling, while federal prosecutors are pleased with the verdict. Beldini will be sentenced in June, and will be terminated from her position as deputy mayor. MORE: Our own John Bohrer penned a quick epilogue to the case, and the Journal has reaction from the mayor and some other local pols, and from a few jurors. Meanwhile, David Cruz says the “quasi-conviction … while not a home run by any standard, confirms that the stink is in the mayor’s inner circle.” He is calling on Healy to step up and apologize to the city.

- A 25-year-old Jersey City man was shot and killed Wednesday night in Elizabeth.

- The Attic Ensemble is bringing Martin McDonagh’s lauded play “The Pillowman” to Jersey City starting next week. The Journal has a preview.

- Former JCPD detective Christine Petersen has been hired by Atlantic City as its new public safety director. Talking with the Press of Atlantic City this week, she acknowledged that she was stepping into a controversial role, but said she was prepared to do so. As public safety director, she will oversee the city’s police and fire departments, which the chiefs of both departments say violates their current contracts. The position was last vacated in 2004, when Robert Flipping was forced out through litigation.

- The Industrial and Office Brokers Association of the New York Metropolitan Area’s second annual Urban Developers Night held in Newark this week drew many landlords and developers from Jersey City. GlobeSt.com has a report.

In statewide news:

- Statewide, the big news yesterday was Gov. Christie’s executive order and speech (full text here) that freezes spending and takes the axe to a number of programs and agencies receiving state aid, as part of his hardline pledge to not raise taxes. The move drew rebuke from Democratic leaders in Trenton, who argue that Christie’s use of executive order to make budget decisions is not good governing, if even legal. NJ Transit is set to lose more than $30 million in state funding; transportation and environmental advocates say that’s a regressive solution that will ultimately result in raised fares or service cuts. Christie also froze education aid, a move that leading leaders in that sector say could lead to college tuition hikes, property tax increases and school staff cuts in the fall. And on the lighter side, Blue Jersey has a word cloud of both Christie’s speech and the Democrats’ responses.

- The global warming plan released by the state Department of Environmental Protection in December “is more serious than prior efforts,” says the Tri-State Transportation Campaign, but it still “suffers from several notable omissions.”