The Jersey City Independent "

- Auto Fluids Contract Questioned: A company that donated about $3,000 the the campaigns of City Council members, and another $2,500 to the Hudson County Democratic Organization, has been awarded a contract worth up to $100,000 to provide automotive fluids and lubricants to the Public Works Department. City officials say the contract doesn’t ban the pay-to-play law because that law applies only to professional services contracts, such as agreements entered into with attorneys and architects. Still, Ward E councilman Steven Fulop is criticizing the contract, saying that city vendors should not be contributing. But city officials and Ward D councilman Bill Gaughan both say the contract was awarded fair and square, since the company — Certified Products Co. — was the lowest bidder.

- Stopping the Violence: A number of black professionals in Jersey City are coming together to mentor young men and women to stay away from gangs and engage in productive activities in their community. (That story’s worth the read, despite the rather unfortunate headline typo…)

- Schundler Clears a Hurdle: Following a second day of grilling about his views on everything from the teaching of evolution to school funding, the Senate Judiciary Committee voted 11-0 in favor of former Jersey City mayor Bret Schundler’s nomination as education commissioner, but noted it was doing so without recommendation. The full Senate may vote as early as March 11. Another former Jersey City mayor, Gerry McCann, says in a letter to the Journal that Schundler is “a great choice” for the job. McCann currently sits on the Board of Education.

- State of Hudson County: In his annual State of the County address, county executive Tom DeGise outlined the fiscal challenges facing Hudson County, but noted that the county is still working to improve the county using grants and other funding sources.

- County Undersheriff Gunning for Top Spot: Hudson County Undersheriff Frank Schillari has declared his candidacy for sheriff, challenging current sheriff Juan Perez. Schillari has the support of the mayors of Union City, Bayonne and North Bergen, while Mayor Healy is backing Perez. The sheriff fight comes at a time when the overall leadership of the Hudson County Democratic Organization is somewhat up for grabs (see item below), with several pols eyeing Mayor Healy’s seat as HCDO leader.

- DeGise Won’t Rule Out Leading HCDO: County executive Tom DeGise tells Politicker that he would serve as HCDO chair “if everybody thought I would bring us some peace and tranquility.”

- Guru in a Coma: The groundbreaking rapper Guru, of Gang Starr fame, reportedly suffered a massive heart attack in New York City over the weekend and has been left in a coma since. The 43-year-old rapper, who had apparently been recently living in Jersey City, underwent surgery yesterday.

- Cooking for the Circus: The task of feeding about 400 performers, crew and family members who will come to the area along with the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus falls to Jersey City’s Michael Vaughn. He tells the Record that he goes through about 3,600 eggs a week for breakfasts.

- Verisk Expanding: Jersey City-based Verisk Analytics has acquired Strategic Analytics, a credit risk and capital management solutions provider. As part of the Interthinx business unit of Verisk Analytics, Strategic Analytics will provide customers advanced solutions and professional services critical to loss forecasting and the stability of the U.S. residential mortgage market.

- Newport Fire: A transformer fire at 1 River Court caused that building to lose electricity yesterday; power is not expected to be restored until sometime today.

- Icicle Season: Dislocations has some pretty cool (no pun intended) icicle photography from around Jersey City the past few days.

Today’s Best Bets:

- Two art exhibitions are opening tonight. The “Herstory” group photography exhibit, which celebrates Women’s History Month, is opening at the Brennan Court House’s Rotunda Gallery (6 pm); and Megan Gulick‘s latest exhibition — “Family Circus” — is opening at LITM (7 pm). There’s free live music at two Downtown spots tonight as well, with Greg Ribot & Pancho Navarro playing at Bar Majestic (7:30 pm) and Frontier Justice and The Baghdaddios (what a name!) playing at Lucky 7′s at 9 pm. Last but not least, come help Melissa Surach celebrate a recent birthday by checking out the latest installment of her BabyHole show, which tonight will feature plenty of stand up, and music from local faves WJ & the Sweet Sacrifice — that gets going at the Lamp Post at 9 pm.

In Statewide News:

- Christie Wants the Feds to Forgive NJ Debt: Gov. Christie says he wants the federal government to forgive the state government’s growing $1.2 billion unemployment benefits debt; Sen. Bob Menendez says the Obama administration is unlikely to do so.

- Transportation Nominee Also Clears the Judiciary: The same Senate panel that approved Schundler unanimously approved transportation commissioner nominee James Simpson, who told the committee he would not support a gas tax increase to beef up the state’s ailing transportation trust fund, but he would consider tolls on Route 80 if confirmed.

- Christie’s Unemployment Plan: The Philadelphia Inquirer‘s Jonathan Tamari takes a closer look at some of the details of Gov. Christie’s plan to change unemployment benefits.

- Labor Worried About Possible Ballot Question on Pensions: Union workers are speaking out against putting a constitutional amendment on the November ballot that would force the state to fully fund the pensions, fearing voters would reject the measure — which has bipartisan legislative support and the governor’s thumbs up — because of the public hostility toward state workers.

- Hearing on Tea Party’s Possible Menendez Recall: An appeals court will hear today from a coalition of conservative activists who want to recall Sen. Bob Menendez. At issue is whether the group can begin collecting the 1.3 million voter signatures needed to get a recall on the ballot.

- Inaugural Bike Summit: New Jersey’s first Bicycle Summit brought more than 130 cycling club members, bike-shop managers and state transportation officials to Denville on Saturday. Cyclist-friendly officials on hand pledged to add bike lanes, improve driver training and lobby for laws for reducing a crash count that now exceeds 50 cyclists a week.

Like what you've read here? Please consider making a donation or becoming a sustaining member. As a grassroots news organization, we rely on community support -- as well as paid advertising -- to survive.