The Jersey City Independent "

- JCIA Litter Pickup Program a Victim of Budget Cuts: The Jersey City Incinerator Authority ended a 20-plus-year contract last week with the nonprofit Hudson Community Enterprises that employed 70 developmentally disabled and handicapped adults; they were all laid off on Friday as the agency grapples with a $4.1 million funding cut as a result of the recently approved city budget.

- Sports Cuts May Hold Up County Budget: Hudson County freeholders Bill O’Dea and Jeff Dublin are threatening to hold up the county budget until they get answers about the complete elimination of athletics programs at County Prep and High Tech high schools. Speaking of the budget, the Insider says County Executive Tom DeGise may not have the votes to get it passed.

- City Car Policy: The City Council’s vehicle allowance gets the “Shame on You” treatment from Fox 5′s Arnold Diaz.

- City Takes Down Man’s Makeshift Memorial to Fallen Nephew: Jersey City Incinerator Authority workers have taken down the memorial Junie Scala had erected four months earlier for his grand-nephew, Vincent Frassetto, a Marine who was killed in Iraq in 2006.

- March Against Violence Slated for Saturday: Jersey City churches, officials, and civic organizations have organized the “Tearing Down Strongholds Prayer March” to honor young people who lost their lives to violence in the community.

- New Coach at Hudson Catholic: Former Giants defensive end Leonard Marshall will attempt to restore the luster to the football program at Hudson Catholic, which will introduce him as its head coach today.

- Man Sentenced in 2008 Murder Case: The last of three defendants in the December 2008 killing of a 43-year-old man on Palisade Avenue was sentenced to 10 years in prison on Friday.

- Cop Sentenced for Domestic Violence Incident: A 29-year-old Jersey City police officer will serve up to five years in prison for assaulting the mother of his child and endangering the 15-month-old girl, even though his girlfriend testified at trial that she lied about the incident to police.

Today’s Best Bet:

- NJCU’s annual Jazz Bash concert is tonight at 7 pm.

In Statewide News:

- Pension Changes in the Offing: Pension and benefit reform proposals that would, if adopted, ultimately affect up to 800,000 state workers and retirees may be issued by Gov. Christie’s administration within two weeks. Meanwhile, the earlier pension reforms enacted by the governor, which are still being fought in court by leading state unions, have gotten a nod of approval from the bond-rating firm Moody’s Investors Service.

- Top Dems Say No Budget with Drug Cost Hikes: Steve Sweeney and Shiela Oliver say they won’t approve a budget that requires higher deductibles and copays for senior citizens enrolled in a subsidized prescription drug program.

- Menendez’s Role in Immigration Reform: Sen. Bob Menendez, the highest-ranking Hispanic in Congress, is part of a small group of Senate Democrats who are crafting a sweeping measure to overhaul the nation’s immigration system in response to a tough new law adopted in Arizona.

- Bomb Scare in Times Square: New Jersey officials say they are keeping a watchful eye on the bomb scare that shut down Times Square for several hours this weekend, but they say there’s no evidence to suggest there’s any related threat in the Garden State.

- Christie Will Get Federal Funds for Insurance: Gov. Christie, unlike most Republican governors, plans to claim federal funds so the state can run a high-risk insurance pool for people with pre-existing medical conditions as part of the national health care reform.

- Another NJ Solider Killed in Afghanistan: The Department of Defense says a 24-year-old soldier from Gloucester County was killed by explosives last week in Afghanistan.

- NJN’s Future: Gov. Christie’s proposal to eliminate all state funding for NJN “raises a host of questions about the viability” of the public broadcasting network.

- Oil Spill Leads NJ Lawmakers to Criticize Offshore Drilling: Sens. Frank Lautenberg and Bob Menendez joined U.S. Reps. Frank Pallone and Rush Holt in condemning President Obama’s adherence to offshore oil drilling despite the spill, which threatens to become the largest in U.S. history.

- Seniors Being Victimized by Recession: Social service agencies and others in the field of elder care say they are intervening more and more often on the behalf of parents being exploited by adult children who moved back in with them.

- History Fair is, Well, History: The popular annual Spirit of the Jerseys State History Fair at Washington Crossing State Park has fallen victim to Christie administration spending cutbacks.

- NJ Hall of Fame: Actors Jack Nicholson and Susan Sarandon, author Judy Blume and singer Frankie Valli were among 15 Garden State luminaries inducted into the third annual New Jersey Hall of Fame in a Sunday night ceremony.

- Leading NJ Air Brand May be History: Continental Airlines is expected to finalize a merger with United today; the deal would create the world’s largest airline and shelve the Continental brand, which has a long history in New Jersey.

- Sticking Around This Summer: A new Monmouth University/Gannett New Jersey poll finds more New Jerseyans plan to vacation at the Jersey Shore this summer, and that more middle-income families plan to stay for a week or more. Meanwhile, the shore summer rental market seems to still be in the renters’ favor.

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