The Jersey City Independent "

- Nurses Get Contract: Over 300 nursing home employees at four nursing homes, including one in Jersey City, finally have a new four-year contract that calls for improved pay and raised base wages. The workers for Jersey City-based Omni Health System had been without a contract since 2007.

- Freeholders Question Detainee Phone Charges: Hudson County Freeholder Jose Munoz wonders why immigration detainees recently transferred to the Hudson County jail can’t be allowed to place free legal calls. The detainees, who were transferred to Hudson from a Manhattan jail, have recently complained about receiving poor treatment at the facility, including the prohibitively high phone call rates to New York. Director of Corrections Oscar Aviles says not much can be done about the phone calls, since the jail is under contract with Global Tel Link for the phone service. The detainees have also complained of alleged poor health care and confiscation of legal documents.

- Ferry Fares Going Up: Starting April 1, riders of the NY Waterway ferries will pay between 7 and 10 percent more for trips to and from Manhattan due to decreased ridership and an increase in expenses.

- In Other Fare Hike News: Remember, the public hearings on NJ Transit’s proposed fare hikes and service cuts begin today. You can find all the details here.

- Council Action: The City Council voted 5-4 last night not to hire the executive director of the Hudson County Improvement Authority as a recycling consultant. Look for our full recap of this and all the rest of the council’s doings tomorrow.

- Man Admits Embezzlement: An 45-year-old Oradell man pleaded guilty in federal court Wednesday to stealing more than $1 million from elderly investment clients while working for PrimeVest Financial Services of Jersey City from 2002 to 2006.

- Palisades Strip Mall Opponents Speak: Forced by a court to listen to arguments against a plan to build a Starbucks, Walgreens and Bank of America at the foot of the Palisades in North Bergen, the Hudson County Board of Freeholders held a hearing for the plan’s critics on Monday.

- Guilty Plea in Rapes: A 34-year-old Bayonne man has pleaded guilty to rapes in Jersey City, Bayonne and Newark in 2001 and 2002; he faces up to 35 years in prison.

- NJCU In and Hosting NCAA Bowling Championship: The New Jersey City University’s women’s bowling team kept alive its streak of qualifying for every NCAA National Collegiate Women’s Bowling Championship in history as the Gothic Knights — who will host the 2010 tourney — learned it was one of eight schools that will vie for the national title.

- Organized Crime Investigator Axed: A 44-year-old organized crime investigator for the Waterfront Commission of New York Harbor has been fired following his arrest on drunk driving charges in Jersey City after he sideswiped a police car on St. Patrick’s Day.

- New Hudson Regional Health Commission Prez: Rich Censullo, who is also North Bergen’s health director, was recently named president of the 12-member board of the Hudson Regional Health Commission.

Today’s Best Bets:

- It’s a busy Thursday, with events all over town. At NJCU, there is a closing reception and artists’ talk for _gaia’s “WW5: Ah, Motherland!” exhibition (7 pm), while at St. Peter’s College, professor and author James Fisher will discuss Jesuit history in Jersey City (7 pm). Downtown, Nimbus Dance Works and a cast of middle school students will give a free performance at Middle School #4 (7 pm), and baseball fever has the Warehouse hosting a free screening of the classic movie Major League. Want live music? Two options: The Milwaukees will play a stripped-down free show at Bar Majestic, and Manouche Bag supplies the jazz at Madame Claude’s (both at 8 pm).

In Statewide News:

- School Workers’ Pay Freeze: Education Commissioner Bret Schundler says every local school employee in New Jersey — from superintendents to cafeteria workers — would have to take a pay freeze in order to save nearly enough money to stave off catastrophic budget cuts.

- Will NJ Join Suit Against Health Care Bill? Gov. Christie says he needs time to consider the impact of health care reforms signed Tuesday by President Obama before deciding whether New Jersey should join 14 states in filing court challenges. The states argue the federal government doesn’t have the constitutional power to force people to acquire health insurance.

- Unemployment Fund Bill Introduced: Legislation that would revise the laws and regulations governing New Jersey’s troubled unemployment insurance fund has been introduced by Sen. Joe Pennacchio. The bill largely mirrors Gov. Christie’s proposal for the fund, calling for a reduction of the maximum weekly benefit by $50 to $550 per week while tying future benefit increases to fund solvency; imposing a one-week waiting period on a new claimant, and restricting the benefit payment for a claimant who has been dismissed for misconduct.

- Pushing for a Pot Pardon: Two Democratic state lawmakers are calling on Gov. Christie to pardon a Somerset County man sentenced to five years in prison for growing marijuana to treat his multiple sclerosis and commute his sentence to probation.

- New Jersey’s Oldest Building: The Old Stone House in South Orange is more than 330 years old, and it’s for sale.

- New Driver Decals: New Jersey has formally unveiled its new red decal that must be attached to front and rear license plates of cars driven by anyone with a learner’s permit or a probationary licensee under 21 enrolled in the state’s Graduated Driver License program. The law goes into effect May 1.

- Commercial Real Estate Outlook: Industry leaders say New Jersey’s commercial real estate market is still going through “a year in transition,” as a result of continuing shifts in the economy and federal and state government.

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